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Met the Mom, now Meet the Dad:

After the fighting at her mother's house, both Megan and AriyaLauna were hesitant to visit the father. Megan wavered between being afraid and determined, but AriyaLauna was downright frightened. Still, she had promised, and a promise was meant to be kept.

She had arranged to meet Mr. Neiters in a McDonald's, due to a record he had, AriyaLauna hadn't had any desire to meet him where he stayed. As soon as the girls arrived, a gruff-looking man all but ran up to meet hem, snatching Megan in a great-bear hug. A rapid-fire conversation between father and dauther ensued, neither moving to go inside.

Records and appearances might say something, but Mr. Nieters' conversation, though blunt, was enthusiastic and intelligent. Once he had twirled Megan round, visually examing her to be sure she was alright, and once he had verbally questioned her, he finally turned his attention to AriyaLauna. He gave his daughter's caretaker a long, critical look before nodding, "Nothing special about you, but you seem ok." Those were his first and practically only words to the woman while Megan was around. All attention reverted back to the little girl as the three went through lunch and he and Megan ran around the outside playground together.

While Megan was inside getting some icecream, Mr. Nieters turned to AriyaLauna, "So, Megan thinks you're crazy. Fighting with government officials, talking about homeschool, and speaking friendly about Spanish-folk, huh?" there was a twist of a smile on his face, "I guess you'll do. If you've got the balls to stand up to officials, there must be more to you than you look. You'e not goin' to shut her up though, are you?"

AriyaLauna shook her head, "I'm supposed to sign her up for some martial art classes, and she seems interested in horseback riding. If she likes psorts or want to be a part of something, I've no problem with it. There's also the church group, when I find one, and she's already been playing with kids at a nearby park."

"Ah, you're the type to keep the kids busy all the time."

"There's no reason for her to sit around," ARiyaLauna shrugged, "I won't over-schedule her, free time's important too."

"We'll see how all that works. Martial arts, huh? Gonna make a super-hero out of my baby?" but Megan was coming back, and Mr. Nieters didn't bother waiting for a response, he turned his attention back to her. AriyaLauna was once again outcasted from the group.

At least this meet went well, and Megan even obeyed her father. There was no arguing when they had to leave, though she detained it as much as possible. And on the ride home, she slept.

Martial arts. Yeah. Tomorrow they were going to have to start that, and they'd already argued about it until AriyaLauna had just silently signed Megan up. If only she could actually get her there....

But Defending yourself is GOOD:

"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO NO STUPID JUDO CLASS!" Megan was hollering again and, like usual, she was defying AriyaLauna, "I don't wanna learn to fight! I don't wanna go! I DON'T WANNA!"

AriyaLauna had counted to ten. And twenty. And fifty. But she had been listening to this all morning and finally reacted to Megan without thinking about it. She grabbed hold of the child's arms, and pulled her forward, jerking the poor thing back into her room, "Get. Dressed. NOW!" And she hollered back.

"NO! I'm not going to your stupid class! I WON'T! I WON'T GO!"

"You WILL," AriyaLauna turned to pull out clothes for Megan, and she zipped again out of the room, tossing herself into the bathroom and locking the door. "MEGANANNE! You open this door right now, or else!"

"You gonna beat me?" Megan shot back.

AriyaLauna paused then. She had been pulled into hollering and force, and that wasn't her. It never had been. "Of course not." Realizing that she'd let herself being pulled into Megan's childishness cut AriyaLauna right down, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean..." She turned around.

A second later, Megan was curiously opening the door. Yelling she was used to, but what was this? But when AriyaLauna peeked behind her upon hearing the door open, she slammed it forcefully again, "LIAR!"

Megan heard no answer, and after a moment got bored. What was WRONG with this lady? Why didn't she fight back? It wasn't what she was used to. And so she peeked out again. There was no AriyaLauna. She tip-toed out, and around, not seeing her in the hallway. When she got to her caretaker's room though, there she was, sitting on the bed, looking as miserable as could be, "Crazy." Megan snapped, and turned away.

Twenty minutes later, they were at the Judo place, perhaps a little late. But they were there. Megan had silently gotten dressed and come back to give the keys to AriyaLauna. But now... now that they were there...

"They're all YOUNGER than me." was the whine.

"That means you have to be a big-girl, and a good example. Can you do that?"

"I'm NOT a baby!"

"And baby's are not welcome here," an instructor stepped out then, looking from bristling child to the harrassed-looking guardian, "We are trying to concentrate, I'm sorry, Miss, but I must ask for you to take the young one back home. Perhaps she needs a nap, or her bottle of milk." It was said gently, but the meaning was not at all lost on guardian or child.

"I'M NOT A BABY!"

"My, my, what a loud voice for such a young child. Perhaps I could have one of my students take care of her." he nodded to a young child who had wandered out to ask for permission to use the restroom, then raised a hand before Megan could start hollering again, "Being a baby is not in age, but in how one acts. You appear younger than any student I have. I don't believe she can handle the classes here," he turned his attention back to AriyaLauna.

"Yes I can."

AriyaLauna went along with it. She nodded, "I'm sorry to disturb you."

"I can!"

"Good d--"

"Please?"

"What was that?" the instructor gave Megan a surprised look.

"Please, I can!"

"Ah! Maybe so! Very well then, come along..."

AriyaLauna took a relieved breath. The battle for today was won. If only she'd continue going. She turned around. She'd signed herself up for a karate class, she'd wanted Judo just like Megan, but the karate was all that had been offered at the same time for adults. So she'd taken it. It had only seemed right.

AFter Classes, a Visit from Charles, Part One of Three:

After the judo and karate classes, it had been more verbal fighting and questioning, and it had been nonstop, except when brownies were being made. But Megan was yelling again when the doorbell rang. She promptly turned around.

"I've got it!" Megan screamed shrilly, and indeed she was there in a moment, looking just as disagreeable as ever. She saw Charles and slammed the door in his face, "No one was there!.. I TOL' you no one was there, doncha trust me? FINE!" All of it said in a screaming voice.

Charles opened his mouth to say hi to Megan when she smacked the door shut in his face. He blinked. "Errr..."

AriyaLauna opened the door. She looked tired and perplexed, but she managed a polite smile, "Hello! Come on in. How are you?"

The door opened again, this time it was AriyaLauna. Charles nodded in thanks to her invitation and stepped into the house. "Not so well actually. Could we go somewhere... private... to talk?" he cast a look at Megan.

"I'm running away," Megan informed Charles, body language daring him to say otherwise. AriyaLauna closed her eyes.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," Charles remarked casually, "We'll pick you up in a matter of seconds."

Megan made a face, "Liar."

"Megan," AriyaLauna warned, "Be nice." While she was speaking, Megan shook her head and yelled a very loud, "NO!"

AriyaLauna nodded, "Ok, fine. We'll be in my room now, do...don't do that!" Megan was batting her eyes flirtaously.

"Oh, do what? You two go oooonnnn." Megan teased, somehow happy by that statement from AriyaLauna, then bounced over and turned the radio up, loud, "I'll be down here."

"Inside or in the backyard," AriyaLauna warned, "And don't turn that up so high!" she went over and turned the dial down and waved to Charles to follow her upstairs. Private? Even her room wouldn't be private, but at least Megan seemed to hold it in some sort of respect.

Charles watched the exchange, slightly amused by it. At least the woman was a good guardian to the child. Shaking his head slightly he followed Ariya up to her room.

When they were finally in there, he could softly hear the music coming from downstairs. "Anyway, I came here to discuss something very serious with you." He cleared his troat and took off his glasses. "Listen, the questions you are asking everyone, about the Agency, me, the children, the NSA and everything in general. They are deadly." He looked Ariya in the eye, hoping she'd understand.

"One has to get answers somehow," AriyaLauna answered, after a moment's quiet, "You didn't seem all too keen on helping me out the other day, and I'm NOT bringing myself or the children into it. I'm just asking if the organization even exists. Megan's not the only one who feels like this is nothing but a big kidnapping circle." AriyaLauna didn't look directly at Charles when she spoke, instead pulling at some strings on the bottom of her shirt. Yes, she understood, on some level, but STILL....

Charles frowned and shook his head. "I was short with you that day, because time was short. We need to move the children out of the HQ as soon as possible due to the exposure risk. The longer they are there, the greater the danger of Villain discovery."

Charles paused before continueing, his voice even more urgent. "I gave you my phone number. You could have called me to ask about it. You could have called me to make an appointment. You had a way of contacting me personally! But instead of doing so, you decided to snoop around! And endanger the lives of Megan and all the other children we've had to relocate!" By now Charles' voice had actually risen and his calm posture wasn't so calm anymore, he looked very upset. "You have no idea of the things that could have happened!"

He took a shaky breath, trying to calm down.

And things get a Bit Scary: Part 3 of 3

Charles only felt frustration, but as examined the woman closer he saw her eyes were watering. She must be about to cry. Feeling worried, he realised he might have gone a bit too far.

"Alright, listen. Nobody knows about the Agency because we need to warrant the safety of the children. There are, of course, several high placed men who do know about us, but that's it. All the authorities know, is that when we show our badges, we have full authority over them. Nobody knows what we are, just that that's what it is."

He took a deep breath, partly to calm himself, partly to pause a bit. "We believe we have stopped the leak in time and managed to prevent any damage. So.. if you have any questions, I'd be more than willing to answer them now." His voice was more kind now and he went to sit on the edge of the bed. He pulled his shades out of his pockets and slid them back on his nose.

"Well, yes, but..." AriyaLauna shook her head, "Forget it." She didn't feel like questioning, "I just--I don't know." What she wanted was evidence, real evidence, and she wasn't sure that he would be willing to provide that.

Saved by the bell, Charles' cellphone rang.

Charles gave the woman a piercing look, and he was still giving it when his cellphone rang. He snatched it up in less than a second.

In a moment, all colour left Charles' face as he rose. "Missing? What about the child's location?" his voice sounded weird to him.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "How did you find out? Has there been any Villain detection in the area?"

"Oh God." Charles fell silent and bowed his head before moving the phone back to his ear. "It's too late. Jayden's already dead, as well as all dispatched men and Bonds." he swallowed, a lump in his throat.

"I don't think.. he might- he might have lingered there to gloat over his victory. But go there and start the clean-up. I'll be there in a moment. Let someone notify my driver of the coordinates." Charles felt rather sick and absolutely horrified.

AriyaLauna sat in horror at the words she heard, then backed her chair away, a nonverbal cue that she'd just let Charles go. Not that she would have a choice, he'd go if he wanted to, but it was innate in her.

Charles turned to Ariya, his face extremely white. "Not your fault." his voice sounded hoarse, not like his own at all. "This-it... -it's not your fault." with that, he turned and ran out the door, down the stairs and practically threw himself in the car.

AriyaLauna took a shaky breath. Either he was trying to really freak her out, or this really and truly a very serious thing. Well, whatever... She threw herself on the bed, face down. It was too much either way. She didn't know if she could handle this. Two weeks though... Two weeks left....

**Third and final extra space... this SHOULD get me right and then some..**

Space Saver Three of Five