Slowly rolled around the day I would meet up with Charlie and just have a good old fashioned one on one game with him. He said he'd be bringing, "old friends". Whoever that was, though I had a few ideas as to who he was bringing along. So, in all good fun, I invited Aaron along.

"Basketball?" Aaron asked on the drive there in this pick-up that I rented for the rest of the winter. My bike and snow, they don't mix too well.

"Yep, but hey, it's been awhile, it will be good to catch up with them," I told him with a slight smile.

"You don't know who any of them are?" Aaron questioned with a slight chuckle.

"Not true!" I fought, "I know Charlie will be there."

"Charlie? As in Charlie Santiago?" Aaron asked. In the review mirror, I could catch his puzzled expression, looking for me to clarify it.

"Yes, Charlie Santiago," I reassured him, "And knowing him he's brought some of his friends that we might know.

"Any ideas?" I pulled up to the old park, along the north side where the court was just a short walk, we pulled along and I could see the old rusted out soccer goal posts. It made me smile, reminding me of when Roin would bring me here and kick the ball around with me.

"Knowing Charlie?" Aaron nodded, "Well... I'd have to say, Christian and Zia."

"What about Antonio? I know you two had a falling out but-" I cut Aaron off just before we reached the final turn to the court.

"I asked him not to bring him..." I said and turned my head away. I could sense Aaron regretting how he had said that. But... he didn't let himself do that for long as he realized who else I had said.

"Kya!" Christian screamed from inside the fenced court. Just as I thought, Christian and Zia. The only two Charlie would ever dare invite with him. Running up to the gate I could see much clearer, both figures. Zia standing taller than Charlie, almost as tall as Aaron. Her long black hair reaching the middle of her thighs. Her deep blue eyes washing over my blank face as a smiled formed on my lips. She smiled back and waved over with her pale hand. On her left was Charlie in his classic bright blue hoodie with his number set on the back just below his nickname. Court Shout Santiago. #17. I smiled and turned my head to the tallest in our group. Christian Cillo. Aka, Chris. Tall in his red and black jersey and shorts Charlie and I got him years ago. It had his own nickname and his favorite number on it, which, isn't a real sports number that someone could have, but he liked it. Demon. #555. His bright blue eyes were clearly a cover for his normal red eyes, but, these ones went well with his dirty blonde, frizzy style hair. His pink lips smiled as I made my way to the entrance.

"Kya what is wrong with you?" Aaron said as we walked in, "Do you know what my Dad would do if he ever saw us with Chris!" He gritted his teeth for the last part and stared off at everyone.

"I know, but you're Dad, doesn't know where to look, remember?" I reminded him and ran towards the gang. Giving each of them small high fives. Aaron soonly joining, and not faking a smile to Chris, as I thought he would.

"Handicap?" I asked Charlie who shook his head.

"Zia's not playing, she's keeping score on how well we can beat you," Charlie said and high fived Chris.

"No fair," I said, "You can't stick me with someone who can't play!"

"I'm right here!" Aaron shouts.

"I know! You suck at basketball!" I yelled at him. Not to be rude. I yell, just to yell.

"Nah, nah, Charlie and Kya will work together and then Chris and Aaron," Zia said and dragged to who she said was our partner. We all shrugged and said nothing. We all we know better than to go against an idea or teams that Zia puts together. If we do, we gotta run faster than fast. So, off we went, it was, pretty fun honestly. Though, for once, Aaron didn't suck. But his skill did nothing for him. His height was what he needed and he never realized that. His lose with Chris was very... yep... just very. Smack in the face of 10-38, but what can I say, when we try. Charlie and I-unstoppable. Always.

"EEE! Awesome guys!" Zia shouted and ran up to us, giving each of us one big tug together for a win-lose-victory-hug.

"Good job guys, you almost didn't suck there," Charlie said and I just laughed beside him, "Aaron you played well, remember you can dunk, and with your height and how good you actually are. It might help."

"Yeah it might also help if my partner didn't suck," Aaron mumbled.

"HEY!" Chris shouted, "I know I'm not the best but at least I try!" We all just stood in silence until Zia cracked in and added how he tries to get a date and fails. We all died laughing on the court, even Chris did.

"This is nice," Charlie said silently through his laugh, "We haven't hung out like this for a long time... It's almost..."

"Normal?" I ask with a smile.

"Yeah," Charlie responds.

"Well c'mon, when are we normal? We've got two from the Lycan family. A full blown demon. A Shadow Prince. Then you've just got a crazy human who can somehow keep up," Zia said as we all dropped and laid down looking to the sky. She wasn't wrong though. Aaron and I were both Ultima's. And I was a Dominant since I was a girl... Sadly. Charlie was a full blown demon with only a touch of human in him. Chris was a Shadow Prince with a Dad that wanted my whole family dead. Then there was Zia. Zia was Zia. A pure human that somehow was able to keep up and she even was fully okay with all of us and what we all were.

"Yeah..." Chris said. He laid next to me and as he spoke. He looked right at me. Years ago, he had escaped his a Father, and I had helped him. It almost costed both of us our lives, but we stuck through it. Now he's hiding, and so am I.

"Kya?" Zia asked.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"When are you gonna go natural again?" As soon as she started saying natural I was up and out from the gate. I don't like being asked that, because it's never gonna happen. I will never go natural and I will never see Carson again and I will never, never, be that person that I used to be. I'm much stronger than that.

Aaron joined me in my truck and off we went. I knew he wanted to ask about everything, but he knew I'd dismiss it. He didn't remember the Trials. I did. I would never talk to him or anyone else about it. Never again. We slowly drove in silence home, I dropped him off, then walked inside my house, dropping to the couch face first. Diego came over and nudged me with his nose. I picked up my head and sat up, petting him gently and walked upstairs, Diego following close behind.

"Sometimes I wish I was with you when you were a human..." I said quietly as I laid down in my bed. Diego curling next to me and resting his head against my chest. "I saw him today Diego... He didn't say anything about his hoodie... I wonder if he even knows that I have it..." With that, I slowly fell asleep.