Everything Changes: A Multi-Generation Saga (rated PG-13 for some harsh words and intense scenes)

Meilyn Arianna Shu was born to Ming Shu and Yun Shu durning their second year of marriage. Ming was a doctor at Xiang Regional Hospital and Yun was a general in the military. They met at the army hosptial while Ming was treating a rather nasty leg wound that Yun had suffered during a shotgun mishap. It was love at first sight for them both.

------

Their marriage was done by a justice of the peace a year after they met and soon after their first wedding anniversary, Ming discovered she was pregnant with their first child. They both refused to find out the gender when Ming was far enough along, insisting they find out as the powers that be intended them to, at the birth of the child. One night during the beginning of her ninth month, Ming awoke with a painful tightening in her abdomen. The rising of her from the bed awoke her husband and he looked at his wife in a worried manner. " Is the child coming now?" he asked her. " I think it might be... don't worry I am prepared for the pain." She replied, giving him a smile of confidance though it was far from confidant she felt.

---Meilyn's Grand Enterance---

Ming was doing a fairly good job at remembering her lamaze classes and her breathing being the key. All her lessons and confidance flew the way of the wind when she felt her water break and the real pain of labor begin. " Bloody hell.. I want this over.... NOW!!" Ming screamed in pain, pretty sure the entire neighborhood was aware she was in labor now.




After sevral hours of pain, sweat and Yun's hand nearly being crushed to a pulp, the couple welcomed little Meilyn Arianna Shu into the family. Ming had been personally hoping for a son, as she was raised to believe was a wife's sacred duty to her husband... and though she was a bit sad it was not a boy, the beautiful little girl in her arms was enough to make her forget her upbringing.



Yun always wanted a daughter, being he grew up with five brothers and no sisters. His father Lu laughed at the idea and said that a Shu does not produce daughters, but here she was, proof he could make a daughter. She was named after both grandmothers, Ming's mother Meilin and Yun's mother Aria, though they put a unique twist on the spellings to make the name all the little girl's own. Holding his daughter against him, Yun wept in joy.

---Growing Up ---

Meilyn did not stay an only child for long, at the tender age of six, Liang Shu joined the family, the first born son to her parents. Meilyn was ever the doting sister and as they grew, it proved to be a bond that time could not break. As her brother's fifth birthday rolled around, Mei was excited for him, as he would be starting school as well and they would be at the same school at least for a while anyhow.




She always thought her baby brother was a cutie, in a sisterly way mind you and felt he would fit in well at their private school academy. He was just as intelligent as she was and most likely would skip a grade or two as Mei had done. Watching her mother bring Liang to the cake, she smiled at them both, and knew a secret.. that her mum was pregnant again and she was guessing it would be a girl.

---What Hurts the Most---

As Meilyn grew, so did her family and as she predicted, her mother had another daughter which they named Xiang. The years seemed to roll on by and she grew and came into her own, graduating high school two years earlier than the rest of her classmates. So off to college she went in the fall. That was when she met Neil Neuman. He was not drop dead handsome but it was his personality that Mei loved and their romance was a whirlwind but filled with emotions of love and friendship. It was two years after they started dating that Neil proposed to her on her birthday and the wedding was planned for that fall. Mei had no idea that that day would leave its scars on her memory and heart.

As the big day came, Mei stood at the alter with Neil, smiling happily and somewhat amused that Neil seemd as fidgty and nervous as she was.



She felt like a real princess in that moment, in her mother's wedding dress, her long hair done up in a pretty bun. Neil's gaze seemed to shift and he moved side to side in a nervous fit that Mei took for wedding jitters and thought nothing of it. As the priest came toward the archway they stood under, Neil looked more jittery, his gaze focusing on the man as he walked up.



The next few moments would cement themselves forever in Mei's mind as Neil looked towards her and pulled off his ring and dropped it on the ground. " I can't marry you.. I don't want to be married, I don't want you... I thought I did... but there is someone else.." He said and then bolted as fast as his chicken legs would carry him. He did not get far before Liang punched the snot out of him and then ran to his sister, who had went numb with shock and embaressment beyond belief. She ran straight to her room after that and sobbed her eyes out... how could this have happened?

---Life's Little Gifts---

Meilyn had been a depressed and nervous wreak since Neil left her at the alter. She knew that Liang wanted to kill him, and so did her father, and her sister Xiang, whom was 16 now. The twins, whom were barely toddlers did not understand of course but that did not stop Li and Lin from hugging their big sister when they seen her crying in her room. Thanks in big part to the love and support of her family, Mei began to heal and even had the confidance to venture outside the house again, after nearly a year of a cyber friendship with her laptop. Liang took her to see his college dorm one night a week later and thats when life tossed a curveball at Mei.

His name was Mirador Xiloscient. He was a parapsychology major and a sophmore at Sim State University and a dorm mate of Liang. The man was very polite, kind and very funny. Mei almost immediately had a crush on him but mentally and viciously reminded herself of what happened the last time she let her heart run away with her head. Mirador noticed the pretty girl with Liang and took her hand and kissed it politely. " Tell me angel.. did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" He asked, a playful twinkle in his red-violet eyes.

Liang rolled his eyes and pushed his friend away from his sister playfully. " Calm down there, Casanova.. thats my elder sister Meilyn.. and I have expectations that you'd have to pass before you could be near her..and its a long approval process.. nearly drown you in paperwork and what have you..." Her brother replied, he was the kid with the gift of humor in the family.

Mei started laughing after her brother finished and could not stop for a few moments. It warmed Liang's heart to hear her laugh for the first time since the disaster with Neil... whom he found out was dating a woman from this college... well he could sort out his plan for that jerkoff later. Spending time with her brother and his friend had been a refreshing experience for her and before she left for home, she had Mirador's number in her pocket, as he insisted to take her out sometime.. as friends of course.

Their first date was two weeks later, she insisted on making a big dinner and invited Mirador to eat with them, Liang was too busy with a term paper to make it, so it was just him and her, her twin siblings were at their grandmothers and her parents were gone for the night, celebrating their anniversary. The dinner was a elaborate feast that Mei had spent all day cooking up. " Gods alive my dear.. if I eat another bite, pieces of me are going to be in orbit of the planet after I blow up." He exclaimed, feeling jolt go up his spine as she laughed. He had noticed that she seemed to be harboring some sort of pain inside and want to know why and what had caused it.

It took a couple of hours but Mei finally related her story of Neil and Mirador was angry, shocked and in pain for her, how could anyone do that to someone so beautiful and witty and intelligent and fun and.. gods alive.. was he falling for this princess he did not know that well yet? If it was love.. then he was okay with it. He would have mused on it further but noticed Mei had started crying and he went with his first instinct and pulled her into a hug. " Please don't cry... " He said, not sure what else to say, he was not the best when a woman began to cry.. it almost made him cry everytime.. as he tended to be more emotionally intune to those close to him, and she was becoming one of those people.




They spent the remainer of the evening sharing silly college stories and moments of their childhood. When it came time for Mirador to leave, Mei was a bit sad to see him go but knew things could become awkward if he was here when her parents got home. As they stood in the front hallway, Mei felt her heart pounding as her eyes met his. The next moment took her by complete surprise. It went from a friendly hug...



Into something more....



Leaving after the kiss, he smiled, saying he wanted to see her again soon. After he left, Mei brought her index and middle finger to her lips, touching them and a deep blush filled her cheeks and her heart was pounding. What did all this mean.... could she be falling again... would it end in pain as it did with Neil? She did not know, what she did know was that Neil was not going to stop her from living her life and she felt Mirador would be her key to living again.

---Revelations---

Meilyn and Mirador continued to date and before either of them realized it, two full years had passed. During those two years, Yun and Ming welcomed another son into the world they named Xian. Meilyn had been the one to help her mother with the birth, as there was a violent storm that night and they could not get the midwife to the home in time and Yun was ignorant on how to help. Meilyn was rather informed on the subject of childbirth, she had read her mother's pregnancy and birth books a lot over the years and her photographic memory was a plus with this.

After her mother had recovered, Meilyn realized that the family home was getting too small for her family and moved her things into the tiny spare room, to give her mother her own room for the new baby. The gesture touched her parents but Mei had not been going for that effect, she just felt it was only right, no baby should be crammed into a closet of a room and she could deal with little space, she got used to it in college after all.

Her relationship had taken a deeper turn with Mirador and she began to wonder if perhaps this was the one.. the man she would marry. But still the old thoughts of Neil persisted.. would he run away from her too? No... Mirador was not like that... and he had told her he would never hurt her... and she believed him but demons of the past still persisted. Well Mei did not have to ponder on it long, for on her birthday, Mirador had taken her to a nature park for a nightime picnic, knowing how she loved to look at the stars. They had laughed and though back in the crazy and best moments of their relationship.

" Its really too bad its all ending tonight...I won't be your boyfriend anymore." Mirador said and Meilyn felt her very lifeblood freeze in her veins. "Is he ending things with me.. God please don't let it be true..." She thought to herself, feeling the tears well up and she stood, not wanting to hear anymore. Mei would have run away but Mirador had her hand in a firm grip.. and why in the nine hells was he smiling... was this all so amusing to him?!

Looking up at her, he smirked mentally and knelt before her. " Its all coming to an end because I want to be more with you than a boyfriend.. so that said.. Meilyn Arianna Shu.... will you marry me?" He asked her, amused by the change in expression evidant upon her face. She was never good at hiding her emotion around him. Mei was shocked but in a pleasent way, the pain from a moment earlier fading... he had proposed to her! But was she ready to marry....?

" I should kick you in the keister for scaring me like that.. but yes.. I will marry you." Meil finally choked out. The ring was quite beautiful that he picked out and he seemed to pay attention to what she liked.. it was a sapphire jewel carved into the shape of a tiny lotus blossom. The rest of the evening was spent mostly without words not reguarding their wedding. He did share that his family would most likely not be able to attend due to being too far away and unable to leave for the date they set. Mei was sad for him but knew her family cause more than enough entertainment for them both... her siblings were all silly and random and Mira fit right in.


The months flew by as her family helped her plan the wedding, though Mirador insisted on paying half of the costs, as he was far too noble to accept her family paying for everything, and with the twins in school now and the new baby.. they needed money anyhow. Well the big day finally came and Mirador had been hit by prewedding jitters but was doing his best to stay calm. Mei did look beautiful after all and he decided to focus on her.





Meilyn felt the fear still inside her even after all this time after Neil still haunted her fears of being abandoned at the alter. As the priest took his place in front of them, She mentally held her breath as they started their vows and as it came to Mirador, she felt the panic set in and the mild shakes started. But soon two magical words calmed her soul... I do. He was not going to leave! All her fears of being left again vanished as they were introduced for the first time as man and wife. Though a rather striking looking pair interuptted the announcement, saying that the priest had not spoken correctly. The man looked very much like Mirador, only with golden hair and green eyes. The female with him had striking ocean hued skin and the purplish pink eyes and platinum hair like Mirador... this must be his parents.

" You should have introduced them as Prince Mirador and Princess Meilyn Xiloscient..." THe man corrected the priest and everyone around him was shocked... Mirador was royalty?! Mirador groaned mentally... he would have prefurred to bring that up later.. like after the wedding guests had left and it was just his bride, himself and her family. Well no one was mad at him for not saying anything.. just shocked. The wedding was a smash up hit and definately a good memory to smother the bad one of the first attempt with.









All in all.. it was a beautiful affair and ended well, and off the newlyweds went for eight month long honeymoon touring the world over. When they had returned, Meilyn was a bit different, her hair had grown a bit longer and fuller, she was smiling a lot more and boy could she eat. As they arrived in her family home, Mirador smiled as her parents looked shocked and happy as they gazed on the pair and saw a rather adorable scene.



" Oh Mei.. you are pregnant...!" Ming exclaimed, a bit shocked but happy none the less. " Let's get a picture... all of us.." Ming insisted and Mei looked at her mom, rather shocked as she noticed a rather simular look to herself with her mother. Yun set up the camera on the stand and they family gathered together, the twins nearly teenagers now, in the front and Yun told everyone to strike a pose and click!



Giggling, Lin and Li insisted that they get to take a picture of the adults and with a laugh, their parents agreed and click!



After this, Ming insisted on just a picture with Mirador and Meilyn and so they held their pose and click!



Laughing after the picture was taken, Meilyn felt a sharp pain course through her...



could it be..? About ten minutes later...



Uh oh.. Ming had also started crying out in pain... Mirador and Yun had their hands quite full at this point... and prayed they could both help bring their children into the world. A few hours later... two infant wails pierced the air... the babies had been born.

---Everything Changes, Chapter 7, I Believe that Children are Our Future---


After she had recovered from the birth of the twins, Mei and Mirador recieved a late but most needed wedding gift from Mirador's family.. a mansion house they used to use during their summer vacations that Mirador had loved as a child. The deed and the keys to the home were inside the sealed envolope that arrived that morning. They desperately needed to get their own place, the family home was too small for the four of them plus her parents, the now teenage twins Li and Lin and her aging parents.

It took a week but soon the home was complete and they new family moved in. Walking in her bedroom that first evening, just before the sun was setting, Mei smiled, rocking the older of the twins in her arms. She had named the younger twin Sariya and Mirador picked Kaliendi for the elder one, named after his grandmother. It was Kaliendi or Kali as her mother would call her in her arms right now. Smiling, she now knew what her mother always meant when she said a baby can make all your other worries seem as nothing. Only thing on her mind was Neil.. she had run into him while at the grocery store with her babies and did not like the rather intense stares he directed at her and had wished her husband had been home to go with her at that moment.



Sighing softly, she then felt a tug on her blouse and looked down at Kali.




The infant seemed to be able to sense her mother's distress and starting to fuss slightly a moment later. " I'm sorry sweet pea.. mommy will stop brooding now.." She said, kissing her daughter's forehead. A few minutes later, Mei tiredly took Kali back to the double nursery and stopped in the doorway as she noticed her brother Liang. The sight was so sweet, her brother was temperarly living in her home until he could get on his feet again and heal from the nasty accident that had ruined his car and nearly killed him.



" Careful Liang... Sariya might get to thinking she is your favorite.. did she awake or something?" She asked, knowing his room was two doors down from the nursery and was worried for a moment that Sariya had cried and awoken him. Liang shook his head, laughing very softly, as he had noticed his niece had fallen back asleep. It was true.. he was very attached to his nieces, and knew he would miss being able to spend much time with them once he had gotten back to his normal routine and to work.. which meant he would move out, that was what he promised Mei and Mirador, though both had insisted he didn't have to leave, he felt they needed their home to themselves at some point and he was not going to wear out his welcome.



After making sure Sariya was indeed out like a light, he snuggled her one last time and placed her in her crib and a moment later, Kali was in her own as well. As they left the room, Liang let out the yawn he had been holding in that entire time. " Laing.. go rest... I know the pain medicine is making you sleepy..." Mei said in a motherly tone that made her brother laugh lightly. " Wow.. can't tell you aren't a mum at all.." he replied teasingly and was amused by Mei's eyes rolling and her gently shoving him down the hall to his room. " Go to sleep you dingbat..." She said with a laugh and was glad when her brother complied and went into his room and shut the door.

Well the years flew by as they tend to do and soon Meilyn and Mirador's little ones grew. Kaliendi was the more outgoing one, while Sariya was the ore quiet of the two, but also the more curious one, often getting into things that were not for babies.. such as the pans in the lower kitchen cabinet. But still the girls were sucha blessing and joy to the couple that they could forget the times they wanted to pull their hair out during the tantrems and launching of the food bowls when the girls wanted out of their high chairs or the toy launch when they wanted out of the play pen.

Finally it came to their fifth birthday and they would be starting school in the fall, and Meilyn was admittingly a bit sad they were growing so fast but was still proud that they were such well behaved children in the presence of others and generally for the most part on a day to day basis.
Their birthday party was a huge success and a big affair for all involved, Mirador even took a sick day from work to be there.





After the party, the twins were taken for a few days for a minor surgery.. to remove the tails that had been there and growing since birth. Mirador had explained he had been born with a tail, that all his people were but Mei agreed with him that like he had, it was best the tail was removed before the twins were in school, to curb a way too easy way to torment them from other school kids, it was going to be enough for them to face the snide remarks about their pointed ears and their amethest skin color. After the surgery was complete, the girls returned, jovial and energetic as ever.

Jokingly, Mirador set up the camera on the stand and the twins giggled and ran in front and struck poses for it. Soon Mei and Mirador joined in the sillyness and the camera shot the picture.



Kaliendi looked at the image in the window of the digital camera and scowled slightly. " Me and Sari are almost cut out of the picture.. can we do it again?" She asked, looking at her mother, for her father had left the room to get ready for work. Laughing, Mei went and reset the camera. " Okay.. 1..2..3...!"



Kali, after looking at the image, seemed satisfied and ran upstairs to her room. Sariya looked over at her mother, tilting her head slightly, noticing Mei was paler than normal and she was sure she heard her throwing up this morning. Was her mother sick? The younger girl kept her worries to herself however and followed Mei into the other room to help clean up the breakfest dishes. It was then that the phone rang and her mother moved over to answer it. Bewilderment drew Sari's attention from that to her father, whom was carrying a suitcase. " Papa.. you are leaving?z" She asked, panic clear in her voice. Why would her parents be seperating?!

Laughing softly, Mirador dropped the luggage and went over and ruffled his child's hair. " No silly.. now go pack your suitcase with a weeks worth of clothing and essentials.. we are taking you girls on a week vacation to Takamizu Villiage.!" He shared and Sariya laughed in relief and went upstairs. Soon the family was walking outside the home and over to the taxi taking them to the airport.. this vacation was going to be a memory in more than one way for them all.

((Author Note:
This chapter is told in Meilyn's point of view))

Bittersweet Memories and Echos of the Past

Our vacation turned out to be a good stress release but unfortunately I, being airheaded as ever... forgot the camera so we were unable to capture any pictures. The twins are growing like weeds, but they are not the only ones growing.. my stomach is expanding as time rolls on. When I told Mirador I was pregnant again, he squealed like a small child and hugged me so tight I accidently threw up on him. The twin happened to witness this and while Sariya was disgusted and started cleaning the floor, Kali was laughing so hard tears came out of her eyes.

If she had not been my daughter... I would have knocked her into next week! But as things were, I just gave her a glare and picked up a couch pillow and first smacked Mirador across the back of the head and then launched it at Kali. Naturally being the more athletic one, she caught it with ease and set it back in its proper place, still giggling lightly as she took off upstairs before I got to the other pillow.

Time passed so quickly and before I realised it, four years had gone by. My babies were now celebrating their 15th birthday.. dear gods... teenagers. Their father was more paranoid than ever. But he would have his attention vied for by the three new additions to the family. Yes I said three. The pregnancy after the vacation brought little Celeion to us and a year later, another girl we named Akemi joined us. Now.. before I get too far ahead.. Liang and Xiang both got married! Liang had married a young elven man named Kael Dawnstrider and his sister Aislin acted as surrogate mother and they had a baby four days after I had Celeion, they named her Anza. I recently got a picture of them...here take a look!



Handsome little family eh? As for Xiang, she ended up marrying the man she was nanny for, taking care of his daughter from his previous marriage. They have a baby of their own now, little Kyrianna Miyamoto! I was so happy to hear my sister had married and had herself her own baby and she agreed with me finally that children are their own blessings. I also had gotten some news around the same time that Liang became a dad that Li had been dating Aislin Dawnstrider.. whom was 6 years his senior but he was 21 so I could not really get that angry.. he was a grown man after all. Plus my brother had a good music career going now so it was not like he was hurting for money. The only reason he had not moved out of the family home yet is because our mother was falling over things and passing out and her doctor said she should not be alone when awake.

Lin, his twin sister had moved out years earlier so that left Li and Ling.. the baby born the same day as my twins and the baby that almost cost mother her life, whom was now 15 as well and I had not seen her since she was a mere toddler so when I got the wedding invite in the mail from Li, saying I was super excited was an understatement. The only reason I considered not going was Sariya. The last few months she had been dating a boy named Nealan and I did not really like the lad... call it a feeling I could not shake if you will.

I was not worried about her making a poor choice or anything like that.. it was a trust bond I had with both girls that I would not force them on birth control if they agreed to never shatter their maidenheads till marriage. I was certain that my baby was not pregnant, even if she had been throwing up for four days... Kali would have told me if she knew and I was aware those two were closer than normal siblings so I was not even thinking of that possiblity. Also there had been a bout of nasty stomach flu flying around the school so that is what I thought it was.

Leaving for the wedding under Sariya's insistance she would be alright and would rest while we were gone, I went off to the wedding. Can you imagine my surprise when I looked at my youngest sibling and seen how much she had changed.. she turned into quite a beautiful young woman.



Anyhow here are some pictures I took at the wedding.









Needless to say it was a lavish and beautiful affair and I loved my sister in law almost instantly. Aislin and I had a lot in common and she commented on how lovely my girls were, when I showed her some pictures of my family at the reception at her insistance. She shared that she and Li were going to continue living with my parents to take care of them and being my old family home was close by, I planned to visit lots and she said she would come by to see our home next week. If I only had listened to Kali that day...

Kaliendi had grown nervous and pacing near the end of the reception and said she felt worried about Sariya, saying she called the house four times and no answer. I told her that Sariya was probably just asleep and did not hear the phone, as Sari was a very deep sleeper while Kali could be woken by the slightest shifting of movement anywhere near her. As soon as the reception was over, we all piled into the car and drove home. As we got out, I will never forget what I saw greeting me next to the driveway...



I don't remember much of that moment, only the sounds of my own screams before the world went black. When I awoke, I was laying on the couch and Kaliendi was dabbing my forehead with a cool cloth. " Mom.. Sari.. she... she shot herself with the gun Daddy kept in his dresser for emergencies... " Kali informed me and all I could do was sob more.. oh how could this have happened. She was only ill with the flu and seemed normal and happy as ever. It was then I noticed a darker look in my daughters eyes that sent a chill down my spine. What did Kali know that I did not? I heard movement from the front room and looked out the doorway of the living room and seen several police officers speaking to Mirador, whom was doing his best to be the strong one for us all but failing miserably.

" Cause of death seemingly is a gunshot to the left temple and while we plan to have the gun dusted for prints, I am certain she shot herself." the officer said and my husband nodded numbly. As the crowd of emergency personel left, Mirador came over to me and sank to the floor beside me, holding a sheet of paper with some blood staining it. I knew what it was without him having to say a word.... it was a suicide note.

He handed it to me without a word and moved over to his cabinet and unlocked it and took out a bottle of rum and a shot glass and sat down and strated to drink it. My eyes had adusted well enough now that I could read the words there.. printed in my daughters elegant writing.

Dear Mother, Father and family,

I have been hiding a lot from you in these last few months, so much so that all this stress is killing me. If you are reading this now, then I am gone, destroyed by my own hand. I first off ask you that none of you blame yourselves, this is all my fault, my selfish choice and my doing. That being said, I wish to confess to you why this happened. I will start at the beginning. You all know I was dating a boy named Nealan. What I neglected to tell any of you was his last name... Neuman. Yes mother.. its the son of that man. I felt if I told you that you would be paranoid and forbid me to see him but goddess help me.. I could not stay away from him.. it was almost unatural how attracted to him I was but we both knew if our parents knew we were together... you and his father would seperate us so we went on with our relationship.

After weeks of pondering over it.. we came to the conclusion that the only way we could be together and no one would dare seperate us was if a child was brought into the picture. Yes... I had been pregnant all these months up till two weeks ago when I fell down the stairs at the house while you all were at the store. I claimed I went out with Nealan but in truth, he took me to the hospital where I later miscarried our child. He was so torn up about it, as was I that all our hopes went down the drain of ever being together.

We discussed if we should try it again after I healed but he knew as well as I did that it would not be possible at the very least for six weeks, so that my body could recover. It was after you all left for the wedding that I called him and we decided that since we could not be together in life, that we would at least be together in death.. so it was his idea to use the gun, I was not sure how to use it and had to take a few practice shots.. so thats why the police will likely tell you the gun had been fired four times and only one bullet would be found in my head.

After this, I sat down to write you this note and its the hardest thing I have ever had to do but I could not just die with my secrets. Please understand I did not do this to hurt any of you and while I know my apology is worthless... I offer it in any case. So here are my last words to each of you.

Kali - What can I say my dear twin that you would pay heed to now, I know you think I am a huge coward and are most likely angry at me for leaving you like this and never telling you anything. But if you knew.. what could you have done... I love you sis, I always have and always will even in the next life. I want you to take my half our our twin pendant and keep it with you always.. that way maybe I can reach out to you in your dreams, if there is something to the afterlife anyhow.

Mother and Father - You two are the reason I exsisted and I love you for the life you bore me and all the years of happiness. I could not bare you being ashamed of me, to me that was worse than death and this reason alone kept my mouth closed as to the truth of things. Especially with mother being pregnant.. how could I tell her and have to see that look on her face.. that heartbroken and disappointed look I know would be shown. I pray that she will be alright with this baby and give it a kiss for me... and use my baby things should it be a girl.. I would want it that way. Father, you have always been so strong but I think you need to realise that by doing so all the time, we all felt at times emotionally shut out.. please if anything to learn from this pain.. is to let it go... and allow the family to comfort you.

My other dear baby siblings - Please take care of mom, dad and Kali and don't you ever make my mistakes. Please use better judgement than I did and don't be a coward like me if despair ever takes you.

I love you all and I am sorry things had to end like this.

Sariya

I will never forget those words, and the note was buried with Sariya so that no one but myself Mirador and Kaliendi knew the truth of things. The other children were too young to understand and we simply told them that Sariya was sick and this is why she left us. Thank god that they were at my brother Xian's home that day and did not have to see their sister laying in a pool of her own blood.



Kaliendi picked the headstone, the statues and the location of where on our property to bury Sariya, as they used to love playing under the apple trees. It hurt after the funeral to walk away and have to return to some simbiance of normal. But I knew that it would be impossible for things to ever be the same again, and my heart ached hardest for Kaliendi, whom felt the loss more than any of us because of the bond that twins shared. As we walked away, I heard her whisper. " Somehow today... I have to say... goodbye."

At this point, Season I had ended. The next couple of posts are the most recent and the first two chapters of Season II with the new central focus and told in that characters pov. Contains occational swear words, disgression advised.

---Everything Changes II - Blue Wind of Hope, Kaliendi's Saga---

Chapter 1: Living Again


Getting back to normal after my twins death was very difficult as for years, it had only been me and her as the children in the home. Though I was 15 at the time, I still felt like a child in someways and wept as I never really had before. Sariya's death changed a lot of things but not everything that came from that was sad and painful. Losing her taught us all something and we drew closer from the loss and father finally a week after we buried her, came into the room with mother and I and fell to his knees and sobbed in front of us. This was a big change from him, as he ever presented the strong image and to see him finally allowing himself to let others see him broken down... it was a step in the right direction. It did not take mother and I that long to move to him and both of us surrounded him in a hug and he let us and we all had a good cry.

After everyone's eyes had dried, we all felt as a great pain had lifted from us and I knew Sariya had touched us all in that moment, and her wish had been fulfilled... father had learned to open up. It took me a little longer to forgive her for leaving me but I did as she had asked and both parts of the twin pendant were around my neck, though I kept them hidden in my shirt, for I was not really a jewelary person and I didn't want to answer questions as to why I was wearing it now.

One thing I did find out that angered me more than anything was that Nealan Neuman was still alive. He had chickened out and not stuck to his suicide pact with my sister. I would have given anything to get my hands around his scrawny neck and choke the life out of him but for my sister's sake and to prevent my family another loss... I kept my hands to myself. But I did do something rather childish and I am not exactly proud of it now... but back then.. I could have cared less. I made sure that everyone at school knew that he had chikened out of a suicide pact and because of him that Sariya was dead.

I know now and something of it back then that what I did was vindictive and my twin never would have been happy about it but I was so darn angry that I took leave of my common sense and my mouth took off without the brain. It ruined his so called good reputation at school and that satisfied me at the very least. He transfered to another school a week later and I was rather proud of myself, that I kept him away from the good women here at our school and felt like I stopped another innocent girl from being broken apart by his yellow innards. If I had been thinking straight, I would have seen what came after but I was still tied up in my own pain in a way and did not care at the time that he was seeking vengence.

The depraived way he went about it did shock me though. I was in my junior year of high school, walking home after Gymnastics practice when I heard someone mutter my name. I didn't recognize the voice at the time, but I didn't get long to ponder on the owner of it, as something hit the back of my head and my world faded quickly into darkness. When I awoke, I was tied to a chair, my hands behind my back and my ankles tied together. It would seem my captor knew I was a black belt in tae kwon do and secured my legs to prevent me from escaping. I was also gagged, and the gag tasted like a dirty gym sock. Focusing my eyes, I looked up as I heard the door to the room I was in open and there stood Nealan and walking in next to him, was Kasey Connyer, a boy I had dated up till a few days ago when I caught him cheating an broke up with him. Why was he here with Nealan.. then it hit me.. they were working together this entire time.

I was rather pissed off at myself mentally for not seeing this sooner.. I was normally so much more perceptive.It did not take long for Nealan to come over and backhand me hard but compared to my master's strikes in class, he couldn't spar a fly and win, I didn't really feel it but pretended I did, so to make him think he was in control... laying the groundwork for a later escape from these nutcases. " Well bitch... feelign so full of yourself now are ya? You ruined my life!" He shouted and hit me again, which once again I didn't feel much from. Kasey however noticed this and moved Nealan aside and while his fist came at me slower, he was a football player and his hit actually did sting a bit, and he played dirty.. punched me right in the breasts.

I visably cringed slightly which put a sadistic smile on Kasey's face. " Nealan.. leave the physical words to me.. she seems to be able to ignore your hits but looks like mine actually registered." He replied and Nealan grumbled an agreement and they both laughed and left the room for the moment. While they were gone, I shifted my right arm slightly till I felt the small knife I carried fall from the sheath hidden in my jacket sleeve and slide into my hand. Wiggling my hand into the right position, I started working on sawing the ropes that held my hands down.

I had to stop periodically, for they both would come down and administer my "punishment" at least three times a day. I knew I had been trapped here a good couple of weeks and while they fed me soup and water, I was still hungry and also annoyed for I knew they had drugged the soup to keep me dazed and high for lack of a better term so that I would be easier to control. During this time, my parents were beside themselves looking for me, and the police had become involved. I was the child of royalty and my father often made hefty donations to the police and fire departments without intent of being rewarded and the police felt they owned father to find his daughter alive.

The one thing no one but me knew was that I had great control over my own life energy.. I had inherited the spirit magi ablities from my father's side and my paternal grandmother was a grand master of this and had been teaching me in secret for years. I was able to appear that the drugs were keeping me stoned and in a veggie state but in truth, I was able to break them down with my own power. Unfortunately I had not learned anything that would get me out of this situation just yet so in that right, my abilities were useless. As cruel fate would have it, the two stooges found my knife and confinsated it. So now I was out of ideas. But thank the gods that that very night, I heard a large commotion and as two gunshots went off, I feared for the policeman I now knew were upstairs. But as the door to the room I was in was kicked open, I felt relief flood me as a rather handsome and very young officer came over to me and cut my bonds and pulled the gag from my mouth.

I tried to stand but after two weeks of nearly no nurishment and no movement, I was weak as a newborn kitten. He caught me and I felt myself blush slightly as he picked me up bridal style and carried me upstarirs and I cried out in fear for my rescuer as Nealan got up and had pulled a gun. I didn't fear for long, as I was sat down on the couch and a moment later, I watched the officer high kick the weapon from Nealan and in a few seconds, he had the jerk's arms behind his back and in cuffs. I recognized his moves.. we learned them in my Tae Kwon Do classes. It was after a few moments and when the other officers showed up, I realized I knew this man.. he was Lucus Holm from my classes... a man I had a huge crush on for the longest time.

Though he gave me a smile, I could see relief in his gaze after he made sure I had not been injured and picked me back up. " Kaliendi.. good to see you again..." He said, and I knew he knew who I was as well and that sent a shiver down my spine. His smile.. I swore it could make me giddy and lose all sense of composure. " Thank you Lucus.. though I see someone remembered their training rather well but I did not know you were a cop." I said as he brought me over to the ambulance personell and after they checked me over and I assured them I was alright and did not need to be taken to the hospital, The chief of police came over to me. " Miss Xiloscient, I am going to need you to come down to the station with us.. I apologise in the urgency but we want to get your report of things while its still fresh in your mind and I will contact your family." he said, nodding to me and moving over to his squad car and calling my father on his cellphone. After this, he came back over and explained to me that my family would be waiting at home when I came back, they were not able to leave because my mother was in full blown labor and someone had to watch my younger siblings Sofia and Celeion.
I then looked over at Lucus and he was the one that drove me to the police station and after I gave them my statement, I was allowed to leave. I remember hearing the police chief congradulating Lucus on his perceptive guess on who the perps were and tailing the two of them to the house where I was found. Questioning Luke on the way home, he confessed he was still just a rookie in the force and he knew that I was not the type to be easily kidnapped and he had followed his instincts that led him to Kasey and found Kasey meeting secretly with Nealan and knew something was up. I was facinated how through he was and jokingly told him I owed him a date in the very least for all this. I was shocked when he said he would call me on that soon and handed me his number and I gave him mine.

I was giddy at the thought... I was finally going to be on a date with my crush. I was sure he had a girlfriend and was shocked to find he didn't and never really dated in school. I didn't understand how such a sweet and smart man had not been snatched up but I reminded myself that girls in high school were often snooty, stupid and choosy depending on which clique they were in. None the less, I was still floating on cloud nine when I came back home and learned I had a baby sister from my father but mother had to have a hystorectomy because if she had another pregnancy, it could kill her, being she was in her mid thirties at this point.

They were both content with having no more kids and I was happy for them and glad my mother had went with the doctor's reccommendations. Once she was back at home, I found myself rather attached to baby Akemi and noticed how much she looked like Sariya, even the same eyes and smile and for a moment I wondered if she was the reincarnation of my dead twin. I didn't let this change my doting love for my youngest sister though.

One night when mother was sick with the flu, after Akemi had turned two, I heard her crying and beat my father to the girl's room. " Go back to bed father, I can take care of her." I insisted and after another moment of prodding at him, he let me take care of things. After I changed her diaper and fed her, Akemi started to slump against me and I knew she was starting to fall asleep again.



It was holding her and being like a second mother to Akemi that got my wishing for my own child. I don't know what caused this but I hoped it would be with Lucas. We had been dating since the night he rescued me and we were very close but never crossed more than kissing, both of us wanting to wait till marriage before crossing into the sexual end of things. I knew I loved Lucus and he loved me.. so I hoped we would be able to make a life together soon.

---Everything Changes II - Blue Wind of Hope, Kaliendi's Saga---

Chapter II: The Awakening

It was not too long after my Akemi turned two years of age, that I decided that being 19 years old.. it was time for me to find my own place to live. Besides that, with my two siblings Sofia and Celeion being teenagers, they needed their own rooms and thus I needed to move for that reason if no other.

It was a bit of a tearful farewell but it was not a forever goodbye. As Lucus was loading my boxes into the moving van, I took a moment to walk over to Sariya's grave. I knelt down beside it, tears glistening in my eyes, looking like rain falling from a deep blue sky. " Well Sariya... I have to move now... please protect mum, dad and the others in my stead. I know you always watched over us and I pray you found the peace you needed and you are with your baby in the heavens." I said, filled with emotions.

A moment later I felt an arm around me and watched a single red rose fall in front of the grave. I turned and looked up at Lucus, whom gathered me in a hug a moment later. " She's always with you, Kali." He said and led me to the car, as we were following the moving van to my new home... a gift from my grandmother Tiramisu. It was a large home, just right for a family but for now, it was just myself here.

After getting settled in, Lucus and I decided to take a break and I flopped down on my bed and patted the spot next to me. He joined me a moment later and we began to chat about all manner of things. Lucus had risen to chief detective in the force and was being well paid. He was smiling ear to ear for some reason and I knew that smile... he was up to something.

" Your grandmother certainly has good taste in homes.. though this place seems a bit large for just you.. you going to be alright here all by your lonesome?" He asked me, a teasing grin on his lips. I promptly smacked him with a pillow playfully. " I am a big girl now Lucus.. I tie my shoes and everything." I retorted and knew that I had just set myself up for a clever retort from him.. he never could resist that.

" Can you really.. here I thought you still needed velcro shoes... ouch.. not fair.. I was not ready!" He replied then cried out when I hammered him with the pillow before he could finish. This started a pillow fight that at the end, feathers covered the floor and we were both laughing so hard that tears were leaking out of both of our eyes. " Thanks Lucus.. that was fun.. even if you lost." I said, smirking, recalling he cried for mercy when his pillow was out of feathers.

" Yeah yeah.. you won the battle.. but not the war little princess." He retorted, as we both settled back down on the bed. We then began to talk about my career and how that was working out. I was modeling swimsuits for a big company that sold them and Formal attire. I got recommended to them by my friend Rachel after she snuck a picture of me at a graduation pool party and I was hired as soon as I could sign the forms. It made good money but I honestly wanted to move to the formal wear section.. felt less revealing in my eyes. As I cuddled up to Lucus, we stopped speaking for the moment, enjoying the feeling of being near to one another.



But as the night wore on... things sort of got out of hand.



Oh boy... we had done it now... we had crossed that sacred barrier.. we had sex before marriage. After it was over, I was nervous.. I was not on any form of pregnancy prevention and I wondered what made the normal moral bound Lucus to go along with this... After getting dressed, we walked outside and sat down on the bench in the garden.



Lucus turned to me with a smile and pulled me close. Why was he so relaxed and here I was panicing that we crossed the line?! Before I could inquire, he took my hand and slid something onto my ring finger. " Kaliendi Xiloscient.. will you do this fool the honor of being stuck with him till death parts us?" He said, looking at me seriously. Ohh I could have kicked him.. no wonder he was so calm and collected and that scheming grin must have been because of this. He was talking to father earlier today.. I should have seen it coming.

" Yes I will...you idiot...someone has to keep you in line." I replied, trying to keep from being emotional and was rewarded with a laugh from him. Appearently I could be funny at times.. never seen myself as one with much a sense of humor. It was a beutiful night, and I would remember it forever with fondness.

Several months later, here we were... at our wedding day. I was nervous, and not just from prewedding jitters... my parents and family did not know the suprise that was about to greet them at the wedding.



Well like my mother... my wedding would have its own non forgetful moments. Liek the look on my parents faces when they seen my changed figure.. that was a hoot. My mother did scold me for not telling her though but she was laughing at how well I hid it from her though so at least she was not angry and father just rolled his eyes and popped Lucus on the back of the head playfully.

But before I get to the suprise, I want to show the wedding party.

As for the music, Lucus and I chose a song to deticate to each other,
I chose Good for Me by Amy Grant and he chose One Good Woman by Peter Cetera. They have both became our songs over the years. Anyhow onto the wedding party.


This is my Lucus.


Father of the Bride, Mirador Xiloscient


Mother of the Bride: Meilyn Xiloscient


Grandmother of the Bride: Ming Shu


Grandfather of the Bride: Yun Shu


Brother of the Bride/Best Man: Celeion Xiloscient


Sister of the Bride/Maid of Honor: Sofia Xiloscient

Well the secemony went beautifully and everyone was festive and joyous. It was the first time since Sariya's death that my family gathered together and it was a good experience for us all. I know Sariya was there too, I could feel her spirit around, while no one could see her, I knew she was there.





As the reception was beginning to wind down.. all hell broke loose.



The baby had decided to make its grand enterance.. right in the middle of my wedding!

Everyone around us began to panic and mother and grandmother helped me through it as best as they could and before too long...



Seraphina Alexandria Holm made her grand enterance into the world and I was a mommy. But as it seemed.. the mother's curse had smacked me a good one... it was not over yet...



Ten minutes later, Aurora Sariya Holm joined the party... I wondered why I was so big but I didn't think about the fact I could be carrying twins... it was an amusing twist in its own right. The fact I had two girls amused me as well... just like mum had me and Sariya.

After the wedding and the births, I recovered well enough and I enjoyed every moment of being a mommy.. well almost all.. who enjoys those 3 am wake up calls anyhow?

Open to all comments at this point.