Cookie: Hmm, didn't edit. Hehehe oh well but here's chap 1! Hazzah!

Pic is of Emma Stone who plays Aurora

Youtube Song is "Every Heart" from my favorite anime "Inuyasha" But its the english version sung by Boa. :D

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17 years later....

"Who ate my chocolate chip sundae!?"

      Aurora stared at the empty spot in the freezer where her sundae should have been. She had been craving to eat it all day and now that she was back from after school cheer practice all she wanted to do was relax and eat her sundae.

      Which wasn't where it should have been!

      Aurora slammed the freezer shut, light green eyes narrowing. There can only be one person in this house that would dare eat her sundae. Balling her hands into fists, Aurora marched to into the large family room. When she spotted the thief who had taken her sundae, Aurora stepped in front of the flat screen T.V, blocking his view.

      Gage lounged lazily on the couch, remote control on one hand and her chocolate chip sundae on the other. At least what was left of it. As usual he was wearing all black, looking like some biker gang leader reject.

       Okay...so maybe he did look a little too good in black leather pants paired off with a black shirt ripped at the sleeves, exposing his well developed biceps but she wasn't about to tell him that. He ate her sundae!!

      "You," Aurora growled, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You."

      "Will you move out the way, brat?" Gage said with a scowl, "you're blocking my view."

      Aurora shook her finger at him. "You pig! You ate my sundae!"

      "Yeah, so?"

      She gaped at him. "It was mine!"

      Gage's dark blue eyes landed suggestively at her blue jean shorts then at her bare legs. "Like you needed to eat any more sweets."

      Aurora sputtered with outraged. "Y-you, oh you!" She marched to the couch and grabbed a pillow and smacked his head with it. "Take that back, asshole! I'm not fat!"

      Gage grabbed the pillow from her before she could make another attempt to whack him with it. "Don't try that again, brat."

      But Aurora wasn't listening. She grabbed another pillow and smacked him with it. "You thief! Stop eating my stuff and buy your own!"

      Gage grabbed the pillow from her and his eyes narrowed dangerously. "2nd warning, brat."

      Aurora grabbed the last pillow and turned to him, preparing to attack. Unfortunately she was too slow to react when Gage retaliated and tackled her to the couch. Shrieking, she landed on the couch on her back with Gage on top of her.

      "You bully!" Aurora cried, "let me up!"

      "I think it's time to teach you a lesson of who the boss around here is," Gage growled, tightening his hold on her wrist.

      "You're not the boss around here," Aurora snapped back, "you're more like the pet pig."

      "Oh, you're going to pay for that one, brat." Gage leaned his face closer to hers. "Now how shall I punish you?"

      Aurora froze at the look of promise in his eyes. "You wouldn't dare do anything to me."

      "Oh yeah?"

      "Yeah."

      "Why's that?"

      "I'll tell Mikhail on you." The childish words left her mouth before she could stop herself. She winched when Gage laughed.

      "Think Mikhail could stop me? Think again."

      "I don't need him to stop you," she retorted, "I can take care of you myself."

     Aurora bit his hand. Cursing, Gage snatched his hand back and shook it. She used the opportunity to slip away from beneath him, rolling on the floor and springing up to her feet.

     Gage stood as well, facing her. His dark bangs nearly covered his eyes when they narrowed down at her. "You have one heck of a bite, I'll give you that, kitty-cat."

     Aurora grinned. "Thank you. I have claws to match it."

     Gage's lips drew back into a smirk as he lifted a hand up. "Show it to me." He flicked a finger to beckon her.

      Aurora went in for the attack, swirling around and raised her leg up to kick his private parts. Gage anticipated her move and grabbed onto her foot. Their gazes locked and a heartbeat later Aurora spun around and went for another attempt to kick him.

     "Stop using the same move," Gage scolded, "the enemy will know your movements. Don't make it so obvious."

     "Ha!" Aurora tried to punch him in the face and missed when he stepped out the way.

     Gage shook his head as she spun around to face him. "Your moves are still predictable and weak. Now attack like you mean it!"

     Bastard, Aurora thought as she did a cartwheel towards him. She used the move to distract him until she reached the table by the T.V and quickly grabbed the dagger displayed on it. The minute she straightened up she shot the dagger straight at his heart with the deftness and skill taught to her.

     Gage caught the dagger in time, pointed tip inches from his heart. He looked at the blade then at her. "Not bad, princess. Not bad."

     Aurora smirked.

     "Now catch!" Gage threw the dagger right back her with speed that far surpassed her own. Aurora's eyes widened but prepared herself to catch the deadly blade. Before she could grab it a hand reached out and caught it for her, stopping the pointed blade inches from her face.

     Damn, Aurora thought grimly, shooting a glare at Gage. She knew he had thrown the dagger at her but his movement had been too swift for her to know where he had aimed the dagger. She had acted fast and predicted that it would be aimed for her heart but she had been wrong.

     Aurora followed the hand that caught the dagger up to the beautiful face she knew so well. Mikhail handed her the dagger with a sigh. "Children, please. If you must play, play in the back yard."

     She took the dagger and glared at Gage again. If Mikhail hadn't stopped the blade on time, she would have been dead. Bastard. Had he really been trying to kill her?

     Gage smirked at her expression.

    "And Gage," Mikhail said, picking up the pillows on the floor. "Please try not to kill our Aurora. Remember that we're rather fond of her."

     "Yeah, yeah," Gage plopped back on the couch and grabbed the remote. "I was only trying to teach the brat that her moves are still too predictable. She needs to move faster."

     "Buttface," Aurora grumbled, sitting beside him as Mikhail adjusted the pillows back on the couch beside them. "I'll have you know what I'm a black belt in Karate."

     Gage snorted. "You sure about that, carrot-top?"

    "Don't call me that!"

    "And what should I call you? Kung Fu Panda?"

    "Asshole," she punched his arm. "I'm not fat!"

    "Now, now," Mikhail tsked, "behave. Dinner is ready. Why don't you two wash your hands in the bathroom and join me in the dining room."

    Gage eyed her.

    Aurora eyed Gage.

    They both eyed the bathroom just down the hall. The bathroom nearest to them. Mikhail watched them and counted down mentally. 3...2...1

     Aurora shot off the couch to race to the bathroom. Gage stuck a foot out and tripped her. Aurora landed on all fours and shrieked with outrage as Gage made his way to the bathroom.

    "I can't stand him," she huffed, pushing herself up to her feet.

    Mikhail chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Come, wash your hands in the kitchen."

    Aurora smiled brightly and hugged him from the back. "But I love you, Mikhail."

    Mikhail smiled back fondly at her. "And I you."

    "How much?" She asked.

    "More than the amount of stars in the sky."

    Aurora grinned and released him. "Wow, that's a lot."

    She followed him into the kitchen and watched him as she washed her hands. Mikhail's beautiful orange blond hair shined with lustrous sheen under the light of the kitchen. It hung loosely around him in soft waves, reaching past his shoulders.

    She sighed as she wiped her hands with a clean towel, envying her brother for his natural beauty. Someone as gorgeous as he didn't belong in a kitchen, cooking for someone like her. He belonged in a runway in Paris or something...or a prince to a castle.

    She sighed again, leaning her hip against the counter. Mikhail glanced up at her as he placed the plates on the table in the dining room. "Yes?"

    "It's really not fair you know."

    "What isn't?"

    "That your so pretty. Geez, you make woman like me ashamed to call ourselves women." Mikhail was more beautiful than any man or woman she's ever seen.

    Mikhail chuckled at her words. "Aurora, it is you who is beautiful."

    Aurora frowned. "No I'm not. I'm a plain redhead."

     Mikhail caught her eyes with his. "You're a beautiful redhead."

    She snorted and waved a hand. "Yeah, you only say that cause you raised me."

    He smiled and went to her, reaching out to caress her cheek. "Do not doubt your worth, little one. Your beauty shines from the inside and out."

    Aurora's lips parted slightly as she stared up at him. His unusual ice green eyes pierced through her as he spoke. "For me, your light is the beacon the glows in the darkness. You are my aurora."

    "And you're a major pain in my ass," Gage said as he walked in. "Now where's the grub?"

     "You're so rude," Aurora glared at him. "What are you, a cave man?"

    Gage sat on a chair and looked at her. "Go feed me, woman."

     "He's so cruising for a bruising," Aurora muttered under her breath.

    "Now, now, you two," Mikhail said, guiding her to a seat and waited until she took her seat. "Let's dine in peace and Gage, stop teasing Aurora."

    Aurora stuck her tongue out at Gage. He responded by bearing his white teeth and snapped it as if to bite her tongue off. She drew back and glared at him from across the table. And she kept glaring at him as the meal Mikhail so lovingly cooked was passed around the table. Her favorite, mashed potatoes with gravy, barbecue chicken and string beans. She loved Mikhail's cooking. It was always so delicious and professional.

    "Geez, you pig," Aurora grumbled at Gage as he took a hearty bite of his sixth chicken leg, "save some for the rest of us."

    Gage pointed the half eaten chicken leg at her. "I'm just saving you from gaining more pounds."

    "Well I hope it goes straight to your ass." Aurora shoved her fork into the green beans. "Then you can't go walking around in leather pants like your the shit. No one looks good with an ass the size of of a hippo."

    Gage gave her a mocking grin. "You should know."

    Aurora was tempted to throw her fork at him but one stern look from Mikhail kept her from doing so. Instead she pretended that the string beans was his stupid head and kept jabbing her fork into them.

    Mikhail shook his head at their bickering. Honestly, when were they ever going to stop getting on each other's throats? It's been like this for as long as he could remember. Still, he was happy to see Gage dining with them and not out doing god knows what in the streets. Family time for a girl Aurora's age is very important.

    "How was cheer practice?" Mikhail asked her just for the sake of avoiding bloodshed between the two people he considered family.

     "Gruesome," Aurora finally stopped glaring daggers at Gage to look at him. "Our captain is a tyrant. She pushes us until we want to jump off the school building just to get away from her."

    Mikhail chuckled. "Amanda Sweatly, correct?"

     Aurora beamed at him for remembering. She knew she complained a lot about her teen life to him but he always listened patiently, giving mature advice with his soothing voice. She loved his voice. In fact she could listen to him talk all day without getting bored. Hell he could even be reciting everything in the entire dictionary and his gentle and hypnotic voice would still keep his audience in rapture.

     "Yeah, Amanda Sweetly, though there's nothing sweet about her unless teachers are around." That two faced skank, Aurora thought darkly.

    "How about boys?" Mikhail asked, "are there any you're interested in?"

    Aurora felt a blush creep up her cheeks and she ducked her head. "Geez, Mikhail, I don't want to talk about boys with you."

    Gage snorted. "As if there would be any guys interested in her." He eyed her modest chest. "Men like girls with boobs and sadly-" Aurora gave into the urge and threw her fork at him which he caught with a chuckle.

    "Gage," Mikhail looked at them sternly, "Aurora."

    "He started it," she muttered, settling back down on her seat. One of these days she was going to creep up in Gages room and kill him.

    "Isn't there going to be a festival going to be held at your school," Mikhail said, changing the subject.

    Aurora shot her brother a look of surprise. She didn't remember mentioning the festival to him. Then again, Mikhail just always seemed to know things when it concerned her. "Yeah, will you be coming?"

    He smiled at her. "Of course."

    Aurora shot Gage a look. "You can just stay home and watch the house like a good dog."

    "I have better things to do than going to some school festival." Gage shrugged.

    Aurora stared down at her plate and frowned. She didn't know why she should feel disappointed. Gage never came to any of her school activities. It had always been Mikhail which was fine with her. All the girls in school went gaga over Mikhail. And speaking of girls...

    "Um," she began, glancing at Mikhail. "Some of the girls wanted to do a sleepover."

    "Where?"

    "Uh...here."

    Silence filled the table. Even Gage stopped eating to look at her.

    "We wont be a bother," she said quickly before they could protest. "We'll stay locked in my room all night and..."

    "Aurora," Mikhail shook his head sadly, "you know it would be in best interest if they don't come here."

    "Why?" She shot back. There had always been unspoken rules as she grew up, rules that she stopped questioning from an early age because she had seen how much they distressed Mikhail but she was older now. They could at least give her a bit more freedom.

    Mikhail placed his fork down quietly on his plate. Aurora watched him carefully, knowing that he hadn't even taken a single bite of food on his plate. It had always been like this. Mikhail cooked the food and she and Gage would eat but him. It was another thing that she had never questioned though she had thought about it enough. Why Mikhail hardly ate...if he even ate at all.

    "Don't start getting rebellious, brat," Gage said.

     Aurora straightened. "I'm not being rebellious, I just asked a reasonable question. Why can't I have a sleepover?"

     "You've never asked for one before," Mikhail said thoughtfully.

     She looked at him. "Well I am now."

     "Watch your mouth," Gage shot her a warning look.

    Aurora felt herself growing angry. Why was it always like this around here? It was like they were keeping their house as a fortress or something. She looked between Gage and Mikhail as the two men who raised her glanced at one another, communicating something she couldn't decipher. Aurora resented that. It was like they were purposely keeping her out.

    "I want a sleep over."

     Gage broke eye contact with Mikhail to look at her. "Well you can't have it."

     "Give me a good reason why. I've been to sleep overs with my other friends yet they've never been to my house. Why? Why is that? Are you two hiding something?"

    And there it was. The question that she's been wanting to ask them for years but never did. But now that she was older, Aurora felt like she should be told those secrets. She was tired of always being in the dark around these two. As much as she loved them, and yes, even Gage she loved with all her heart, she resented them for not telling her anything. Resented being kept in a protective bubble even though she's almost a grown woman now.

    Mikhail watched her, studying her under thick lashes but not saying a word. Aurora shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What?"

     "What makes you think we're hiding things from you, Aurora?"

    "I just know you are."

    "Would having the sleep over here make you happy?"

    "Yeah."

    "Don't," Gage growled, glaring at Mikhail. "Stop spoiling her."

    "A sleepover isn't a big deal," Mikhail replied calmly. "Aurora is a young woman now, if she wants friends over than she should at least be allowed to."

    Aurora beamed at him. She had a feeling that he was letting her have her way just to avoid answering her real question but thats fine. For now.

    Gage shoved his chair back and stood. "Then don't expect me to be here tomorrow." With a glare shot at her, he turned and stalked away.

    Aurora pushed her chair back and stood, practically running after him before he reached the front door. "Hey, wait! I'm not trying to kick you out the house, Gage." She grabbed his arm.

    Gage stopped walking but jerked his arm away from her. "I'm leaving."

    "You don't have to leave!"

    He turned to face her, anger showing on his face. "You're fucking spoilt, Aurora, you know that? Mikhail had raised you, given you everything you wanted and in return all you had to do was follow little rules."

    Aurora lifted her chin up in defiance. "I've been a good sister til now haven't I? I've followed those unspoken rules but the minute I want to bring my friends over all hell breaks loose. What do you two have to hide? Sometimes I feel like an outsider in my own home. We're family right? Family don't keep secrets from each other."

    Gage sneered. "Family?" He laughed without humor. "Do you actually believe the bullshit you're saying?"

    Aurora's heart pounded, knowing that he was going to tell her something that she long ago suspected but never questioned. Amongst many other things.

    Gage stepped in closer to her and leaned his face inches from hers. "You know this whole "family" is bullshit. We're not family. You're not even fucking related to us."

    Aurora swallowed, eyes burning. And there it was, the truth. She knew deep down that she wasn't really related to them. That she wasn't really their sister but she kept it to herself. All these years she kept it to herself but to actually be told that she was really just a stranger to them hurt. It hurt a lot.

    "I don't care," Aurora said, even though she heard her voice growing hoarse. "You're still my brother."

    "Oh yeah? And what if I don't want to be?"

    She winched. He...he didn't want to be her family? They've always bickered, true, but she has always loved Gage. Always...

    "I warned him that taking you in would be trouble," he continued, tearing a little piece of her heart as he did. "I told him but he thought it would work." Gage snorted. "He wanted to make us a 'family' but this has all been nothing but a big lie. Staying in this house is suffocating, it-"

    "Gage," Mikhail stepped in behind Aurora. "Enough."

    "No," Aurora sniffed, wiping her tears away with a hand. "He's just telling me how he really feels. And thanks, now I know." She turned and glanced at Mikhail. "It's not like I hadn't suspected that I'm not...that I'm..." She couldn't even finish the sentence.

    Brushing passed Mikhail, Aurora ran up the stairs to her room, slamming the door shut. Mikhail stared after her for a while before turning his disapproving gaze to Gage.

    "What?" Gage snapped, grabbing his leather jacket from the rack. "She already knew the truth anyway. It just had to be said."

    Mikhail didn't comment even as Gage walked out the house and slammed the door close. Sighing, he looked back up the stairs. His little Aurora was weeping, he could hear her soft sobs she desperately tried to hold in. Her tears broke his heart.

    His little family was breaking. All he had wished was to raise Aurora into a woman she would be proud of, even if it meant keeping things from her but had he been wrong to? Had it been selfish of him to want to keep their family glued together even if it was built on lies and secrets?

     Mikhail closed his eyes, weary. Was it time to tell little Aurora the truth? And when she finally finds out...will the love she has for him die? Will her adoration wither before his eyes when she learns the truth?

That he was really a monster.