Lost Boys 1. Chapter 1

The warm salty sea air filled the beat up land rover, It wasn't familiar and made Katie Emerson scrunch up her nose. She was use to the hot, dry air in phoenix it was all she had ever really known. Her family was never really high on the hog and never had enough money to spend going on lavish vacations, Instead they just stayed put. Living in a normal, Ordinary existence. It was ok for a while, That was until her father Edward got bored. That's why he left, Katie assumed. Why else would you leave a wife and 3 children you supposedly loved the week before? Her mother Lucy didn't like to talk about it much but who would? Her husband divorced her and left her with three kids and no money, Forcing them to move to live with Lucy's father in Santa Carla, California. It was a low blow for anyone to deal with, let alone a newly single mom. Michael the oldest of the three tried his best to be strong and positive because he felt it was his responsibility, He was the man of the house now and he had to look out for the younger two and his mom. It was just the way things had to be, Not that he was complaining. Sam the youngest and perhaps the most charismatic just treated it as he treated everything else in his carefree life, a bump in the road. Sure it did rain on his parade for a while but he just remembered that he always had his siblings and his mom, That was good enough. Katie, The middle child and the only girl took it the hardest, She had always been a daddy's girl and the fact that he had left her without a goodbye left a rather large hole in her heart, In an effort to remain strong she just turned on her smile when Michael, Sam or her mother asked how she was. They didn't need to know that she was actually struggling, They were probably all struggling on there own enough without her whining about how she missed her father… no she would keep it too herself.

-

The bill board came into view, even though it was still a good distance away. Katie didn't need to see what it said though, She already knew. It was a sign saying 'Welcome to Santa Carla!' or something cheesy like that.

"We're getting close.." Her mother put her thoughts into words as she too noticed the bill board in the distance.

"What's that smell?" Sam muttered in the front seat of the rover, Making Katie chuckle but then frown when she got a whiff of it. It smelled like something was polluting the air, Something rotten.

Lucy sucked in a deep breath of air. "Ocean air!" She responded cheerfully.

"Smells like something died." Sam retorted with a scrunch of his nose. Michael smirked neck to Katie, Obviously finding their little brother's honesty amusing.

"Guys, I know it hasn't been easy." Oh here we go, Katie thought as she heard her mom begin to try and talk to them about everything that had happened the past year. Usually everyone tried to stay away from that particular topic but every once in a while someone would bring it up and things would just get awkward because no one honestly wanted to talk about it. "You know… the divorce and the move, but I think you're really going to like living in Santa Carla."

All three siblings looked at each other, each one unconvinced. No one talked for a few minutes, The atmosphere having gone tense. Lucy thought quickly for a way to break the tension.

"How 'bout some music!" She said and turned the radio to a country and western station.

"Keep going." Sam said in a bored tone.

Next was an Easy Listening station, Making Katie grimace and shake her head. "Keep Going" Michael and Katie said at the same time. Lucy turns on to a song titled 'mellow yellow'.

"Keep going!" All three siblings chorused together, none of them liking the groovy music.

Lucy laughed loudly and shook her head. "Wait! This is from my generation!" She went on to sing a bit of the song before all 4 burst out laughing at the cheesy song. Lucy changed the station after very little persuasion from her kids.

Katie grinned to herself and stuck her tongue out at Sam, Then she noticed they were passing the boarder. She kept her eye on the sign, Her grin faltering as she read the back of the sign, in big spray paint letters it read, 'The murder capitol of the world.' She looked away quickly, Trying to see if either of her brother had also seen it. Michael looked a little confused and concerned so she hit his shoulder lightly to get his attention, Then pointed back at the sign, Her way of asking if he had seen the creepy lettering. He gave her a single nod to signify that he had. Slight relief washed over her, She wasn't the only one who was a little freaked out. If they really were moving to the murder capitol of the world, How were they supposed to like it? If anything seeing the sign made her want to beg her mom to go back to phoenix.

They drive to her grandpa's house was longer than planned, Mostly because he lived pretty far out of town. Lucy stopped to pump gas and let the kids stretch their legs. Michael rushed to the U haul to get his beloved motorcycle. Sam ran through the crowd with his dog Nanook faithfully next to him, only giving a brief nod to signal he heard his moms warning to stay close. Katie climbed out of the rover slowly, wincing as her thighs stuck to the seats, She slid her sunglasses on her face and pursed her lips at the sight in front of her. People were running around everywhere screaming and hollering. It was actually a little unnerving. Girls in little bikinis walked by, Surfers with deep tans and blonde hair walked past and winked at her. Bikers were everywhere, They're motorcycles making deep rumbling noises. The locals were…Colorful at the least.

Lucy pumped the gas, looking around and observing the area. Sam appeared from nowhere and started ranting about an amusement park right on the beach. Katie gave him an amused smile and shook her head.

"That would be the boardwalk bud." She told him patting him on the shoulder.

"Can we go now? Katie wouldn't mind taking me, would you Katie?" Katie gave an indifferent shrug, She had nothing else to do and she certainly wasn't looking forward to unpacking all of the crap they lugged from Arizona to California

Lucy sighed and thought about it for a minute. "Maybe Later. Grandpa's expecting us."

Sam frowned, Katie threw her arm around his shoulders in an effort to cheer him up and comfort him at the same time. She knew Sam wasn't even less excited than she was about the move but he would get over it quickly once he made some new friends and got a feel for the place. Sam had always been good at adjusting faster than most.

"Hey mom, Can I have a dollar? I want a candy bar." Katie asked with a pout. She knew it was unlikely that her mom would give it too her, but she was craving something sweet and she figured she would at least give an attempt.

Lucy gave her a pointed look. "We can eat when we get to your grandfathers. You can hold out for that long can't you?"

Katie nodded and decided to go into the little shop to look around at least, Maybe they had a tour guide book or something interesting. Going into a crowd of raving lunatics did sound kind of appealing but she figured that since she would be living here, She would have plenty of time to do it any other time. Plus she wasn't that big of a partier anymore, Back in phoenix she had her moments when she went out and partied until early hours of the morning. It drove her parents crazy, and her brothers were both constantly hounding her about how it wasn't safe for her to do that. After a particular incident with a drunk guy who had wandering hangs Katie gave it up for good. It was getting old anyway.

Michael poked his head in and quickly spotted "Kate! Time to head out to grandpa's!" Katie set the book she had been scanning through and quickly left the store when she noticed a dude with a Mohawk staring at her.

"We moved to a pretty strange place didn't we mikey?" She asked Michael as they walked back to the rover.

"Yeah, We definitely did. I bet you'll fit in just fine though." teased Michael as he sat on his bike, Katie stuck her tongue out and climbed into the front seat, Ignoring Sam's protest.

"Come on squirt, The ride to grandpa's isn't that long. You'll survive in the back." She reasoned as they started the journey, Michael following closely behind them. Katie watched him ride his motorcycle with ease through the side mirror. She had no clue how he rode that thing, Her balance was seriously lacking and she could see herself breaking a bone or two if she even attempted to ride the bike on her own. Michael had taken her on rides before, she didn't mind those. Riding on her own was a different story.

Pulling up to the house they would be sharing with their grandpa, Katie was pleased. It was sort of an old lodge, It looked a bit worn out and scuffed up but it had character. It was unusual, Kinda like the rest of Santa Carla.

"I like it," She said to her mother taking them both by surprise. Katie had pretty much remained silent the entire trip, Showing no indication of how she felt about them moving away from Arizona. Now a small bead of hope started in Lucy, Katie had said something positive about the place. It was more than she had gotten out of the teenager for the past couple of weeks. Maybe things would go better in the new town.

"Yeah, Its pretty unique." Lucy said, Not wanting to push Katie back into her shell.

Sam snorted. "I think its creepy."

"That's because your wimpy Sammy." Kate retorted, Keeping her tone playful so he would know she was kidding, The last thing she needed was a miffed little brother. The kid was smart.

"Haha your so funny Kate."

Lucy rolled her eyes but had an easy going smile on her face, The kids playfully bantering made her relax a little. That's the best part about have three great kids, They could make her smile without realizing it most of the time.

Katie got out of the car, Pulling her cut offs that had ridden up during the ride down. The place looked slightly deserted and she cocked an eyebrow. "Where's grandpa?"

Sam points at a body on the porch that Katie had some how missed completely. She approached it with her mom and her brothers, looking at the still form apprehensively. If her grandpa had passed away, What did that mean for them?

"Is he okay mom?" Katie asked worriedly, bending down and getting a better look at the older man, who didn't appear to have any life to him.

Michael shook his head. "He looks dead."

"He's just a deep sleeper," Lucy defended, Although she sounded like she was trying to reassure herself, Not her kids.

"If he's dead can we move back to phoenix?" Sam asks insensitively, Obviously not that concerned. Katie slapped his arm and glared at him. Before she can yell at her younger brother, Her grandpa opens his eyes.

"Playing dead…and from what I heard, Doin; a damn good job of it, too." He said mischievously, His eyes gleaming youthfully. Katie decided right then and there that she was going to enjoy living with the old fellow.

Carrying in her first box of books, Katie follows behind Michael who was carrying barbells, Behind them both Sam was struggling with his large comic book collection.

"Wow." Katie mutters looking around the large, Lodge like home. Funky leather furniture furnished the living room with Indian style blankets and weird decorations.

"This is kind of a cool place." Michael noted also looking around. Katie grinned and nodded. She was loving all the Indian stuff, It was her kind of thing.

Sam sent them both a look. "I'm so excited, I just can't hid it. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it." He deadpanned the lyrics to the song.

"Come on Sam, Loosen up and at least give it a chance." Katie slapped his arm lightly, although she did find his deadpanning amusing.

"I'm with Kate on this one, Will you give mom a break?" Michael reprimanded him. Katie felt a little bad but didn't say anything, Just sets her books down on a chair and follows the boys into kitchen wordlessly.

Mike sets his barbells on the back porch, while Sam whines about the lack of T.V.

"Grandpa does not own a T.V. Have you noticed? There's no T.V. Santa Carla has no malls, No Cineplex's and I won't even have MTV! I will not know anything hip anymore."

Michael sent him a look. "Hey, Sam, Were flat broke."

"Yeah, and 1. Your not going to die without that mall Sammy, Maybe you'll start dressing like a normal human being. 2. MTV is just a show that is put on to kill your brain cells and make you a brainless zombie. 3. Don't use the term Hip, Its dumb."

Sam pouts. "Even poor people have T.V. s mike, and what do you mean I'll start dressing like a normal human being?! I dress amazing! You're just jealous, and mtv is amazing thank you very much," Said Sam, Weakly defending himself.

Katie rolls her eyes and bites back an easy retort. She knew better than to get him started.

The three siblings quickly make their way up the stairs to choose bedrooms, Katie knew that the boys were going to end up fighting over the largest room so she just went ahead and took the smallest one, It had the biggest closet space anyway and that was one thing she needed, Closet space.

Hearing the boys arguing, She walked out of her room, only to be knocked down my Sam who was running from Michael. Her anger spiked when both brothers just kept running so she ran after them, She noticed them stopping in front of a pair of old sliding glass doors and hops on Michaels back, He instantly grabbed hold of the back of her knees to keep her up and she lightly wrapped her arms around his neck. When she looked up at what was in front of them, She winced.

Stuffed animals of all different varieties were sitting around the room, they seemed to be staring and it sent a shiver down her back. Squirrels, Birds, Cats and other odd things. Boxes of eyes, Pelts, Hides, Wooden animal forms. All the obvious equipment of a taxidermist.

"Talk about the Texas chainsaw massacre," Michael muttered nudging Sammy, Causing both Sam and Katie to chuckle.

Grandpa's voice from behind them cause the trio to jump. "Rules! Got some rules around here!"

Katie hops off of Michael carefully and barely listened as Grandpa ranted about the rules of the Fridge, then the rules of the TV guide, Smiling when he finally said that there was no TV, Crushing sam's slight bit of hope. She knew her little brother could do without it for a while. He needed a break from everything 'hip' actually.

Later the same night, Their mom decides to go with them to the boardwalk to look for jobs. Also so they could see around town. All three know its just because she wants to get on their good sides for a while. She still felt bad about the divorce and still couldn't bear the thought of the kids blaming her.

Michael, Katie and Sam all walk along the boardwalk, taking in the new environment. It was new to all three of them, although Lucy wasn't too amazed she could tell Sam was enjoying himself. Michael seemed to be too. They soon gathered near the band stand, A guy is singing on stage and playing the saxophone. Katie jokingly starts dancing with Sam, Just for giggles. Then gets into the music for real when he starts playing a song she likes. After a while she notices Michael had turned his attention elsewhere.

"Hello? Earth to big Brother?" She joked, waving her hands in front of his face, after that failed she tried along with Sam to see what he was so enraptured by. It was a pretty girl with dark and curly hair, She had a little boy about 7 or 8 with her. After finally realizing they couldn't break their brother out of his trance they let him be. It wasn't until they saw Michael start following her and the kid that they realized they might have a problem.

"Great, Go out for a nice fun night and Michael becomes infatuated with a girl and we have to follow him around." Katie whined to Sam who hurriedly agreed. Katie took a minute to thank god for her little brother to keep her company.

Where are we going?" Sam asked Michael.

"Nowhere." Was all Michael said back.

"Then what's the rush? You're chasing that girl, Why don't you just admit it? Katie and I are at the mercy of your sex glands buddy!" Sam teased, Making Katie chuckle and Michael give them both a peeved look.

"Don't you guys have something better to do than follow me around all night?" Michael said. It kind of hurt Katie's feelings, But he'd never know. She and Michael had always been close, They were closer in age than She and Sam were. So for him to just blatantly brush her off miffed her a bit.

Sam didn't seem to care though and quickly smiled and took off when he noticed the second hand comic store.

"Sam!?" Katie yelled after him, but he was already gone. Little twerp left her alone with lover boy. She'd have to get him back for that later.

Michael had already started walking and Katie had to run to keep up with him. He didn't even notice he had left her behind. "Jeez mike, You're a douche." She muttered crossing her arms over her chest.

Michael looked at her for a moment at her before continuing to follow curly q and the little boy.

"Are you going to talk to her or follow her around like a lost puppy?" Katie asked taking another jab at a conversation. Michaels glare quickly told her that she should stop talking and they continued to walk in silence.

Finally the girl reaches what seems to be her group, or posse. A group of 4 guys, all looking a little rough with motorcycles. Michael continues to eye star as she gets on behind the bleach blonde one with the ugly bleached hair. She quickly looks over each one, Finding none of them desirable, Until she saw the one with the dark hair. He looked dark and dangerous and Katie couldn't helped but be attracted to him. His long dark hair was wind blown and he met her eyes after helping the little boy on behind him. His dark eyes met her blue ones and she couldn't look away, He seemed to be just as captured by her. It wasn't until the other guys started their bikes that he snapped out of it. She gave him a small smile as he rode away, Although it grew when he returned it. Mostly because he had an amazing smile too.

"Mom's ready to go guys." Neither moved or acknowledged him as they watched the motorcycles disappear in the distance. "Come on! She siffed ya!"

Both snapped out of it and followed Sam to their mom and the rover. They find her and she happily tells them about her job at the video store and a nice gentleman named Max. All three congratulate her and Sam quickly asks about getting TV.

"Hey what was with you and that girl Michael?" Katie asked him once they were sitting in the back. Sam and Lucy were up front having a conversation.

Michael shrugged. "I don't know," Was all he said back.

Katie huffed in agitation and turned away from him. Michael usually wasn't so blunt and mean as he was being. She wasn't enjoying this new attitude of his and she would gladly tell him that if he kept it up. Michael seemed to notice that he had upset her but couldn't bring himself to really do anything about it. All he could think about was The girl on the boardwalk.

Meanwhile, Other than Michaels apparent douche-bagery. All Katie could think about was the guy with the dark hair. She had other boyfriends before but none got that reaction from her. She felt some sort of a pull from him, it was unusual and she didn't know what to make of it. He seemed to think something of her too because he stared back just as strongly.

"Why are you two so quiet back there?" Lucy asked as they pulled into the driveway. Lucy was a little surprised, She hadn't even noticed they had already returned.

Michael obviously noticed his sister wasn't responding and responded for both of them. "Just tired mom, Been a long day."

"Yeah mom its nothing, Just need a nice long sleep." Said Katie, backing Michael up even though she wasn't the least bit tired. None of them needed to know that.

Lucy nodded enthusiastically. "Me too, Me too. Its definitely cool around here though right?"

Katie walked up the stairs "Its definitely different." I don't know if it's a good different or a bad different though, Katie thought as she walked into her small and cozy bed. Laying down on it, She picked up the first book on the box of books and began to read. Looking up at the closed door to her room, She frowned. Most nights Michael would come in and they'd talk, Sometimes sam would join them. It was kind of a routine and she didn't think Michael wouldn't come. He sort of owed it too her to come in and make amends for being such a jerk. She read until 2 am but Michael never came in. It was right then she started having heavy doubts about moving but she pushed them to the back of her mind. Michael was just in a funk and Sam was still odd, lovable Sam.  
Finally the book got blurry as her eyelids started to get heavy. Placing it on the desk table beside her bed, Katie climbed under the covers and thought about those dark eyes on the stranger.


	2. Chapter 2

Katie was looking up Into the dark haired strangers beautiful and fathomless eyes, trying her best to control the overwhelming urge to kiss him. Impossibly strong hands gripped her waist and she let out a gasp of air she didn't realize she was holding in. The tension in the air was thick and she knew the inevitable was bound to happen. She brought her hands up and tangled her fingers through his thick black hair, tugging him a bit closer to her. Now she could feel his breath on her face and she opened her eyes right when their lips met, only to be looking into the snarling face of a vampire.

"Katie! Katie, jeez wake up!" Someone was shaking her harshly, making the teenager groan and swat out. She sat up right immediately when her dream came back to her full force, those eyes. They were so beautiful but the unexpected twist at the end of her dream left her a little breathless.

"Hello? Anyone awake in there?" Sam was still shaking her shoulder, though not as harshly.

"What Sam?" Katie snapped and then felt bad, just because she had a strange dream doesn't mean she should take it out on her baby brother who was now sitting at the edge of her bed looking a tad bit dejected. "I'm sorry bud, I had a crazy dream and its got me on edge. What time is it?"

Now that Katie had apologized, Sam had seemingly forgot about her snappishness and was back in his usual hyper mood. "Mom told me to wake you up, Michael and I are going surfing and unless you wanna master the art of taxidermy with grandps, you gotta go with."

Katie inwardly groaned at the thought of having too put up with Micheal's new found attitude for a whole day but got out of bed and stretched anyway. Even if Michael still had a stick up his ass, Sam would still be there too keep her from going crazy. Walking slowly over to her dresser, she opened up a drawer and dug around for her favorite pair of cut offs. "Is Michael still acting funny?"

"Kind of, he just seems out of it." Sam shrugged it off, choosing instead to look through her record collection, something he had done more times than she could count. He was always trying to talk her into letting him borrow some but she had been adamant that her records were off limits unless she was dead and buried, then they were free game between her 2 brothers. "Oh man! The Doors! Come on Katie please?"

"No, now get out of my room so I can get dressed." She said pointing to her door. Sam looked as if he was about to argue so Katie grabbed the end of her nightshirt, pulling it up slightly to show her tan midriff. Sam, realizing his big sister was not in the mood to play around, quickly left before hew as shown something he never wanted to see.

Katie smirked, feeling smug with herself. Throwing on her cutoffs, she dug around in another drawer and threw on a crop tee that had once been an old t-shirt of her dads. The urge to cry hit her out of nowhere and she had to squeeze her eyes shut tightly to ward of the moistness gathering under her eyelids.

"Katie, do you want...oh sweetheart." Her mothers concerned and sad voice made Katie's tear filled eyes to open and to her absolute horror, she was unable to stop the tears. Lucy gently pulled the top out of her daughters clenched fist and pulled her into a warm embrace. Katie was unable to stop the sobs that just poured out of her, they were deep and heavy. Lucy gently rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, damning herself and her ex-husband for putting their kids through this.

"Is she okay mom?" Katie could hear the concern in Michael's voice from the crook of her moms shoulder. She hoped and prayed that he wouldn't try to join their hug because if she was a mess now, it would be ten times worse.

"I've got her Michael, just go finish breakfast. We'll be down in a minute." Lucy said waving for him to go ahead and Katie was thankful for her mom because even if she was a little difficult to understand sometimes, she knew exactly what her child needed at that moment, and that was privacy. Katie waited until she head Michael walk down the stairs before pulling back from her moms embrace and letting out a sniffly laugh.

"I'm sorry mom, I don't know what got into me." Katie said, picking up the top and throwing it back in her dresser and pulling out a different one that did not come from her dad. Pulling it over her head, she turned to look at her mom who was watching her with a pained expression. "Mom..."

"Katie, I knew you were hurting, you don't need to apologize. If anything I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry you had felt like you had to hold it all in, because you don't need to. It's perfectly okay to be upset and it's perfectly okay to cry about it. This whole thing with your dad sucks and I know you miss him. That's okay too." Her mom said, resting a hand on Katie's cheek and kissing her forehead, then she stepped back and wiped a small tear from her own eye. "Okay, your brothers should be finished with breakfast. Come on down when your finished getting ready,"

Katie nodded and tried her best to give her mom a smile, even though it was a teary one. Her mom returned the smile and went to leave. "Hey mom! Thank you,"

Lucy looked slightly surprised but smiled widely and shook her head.

"It's no problem sweetheart, I love you." and with that, Katie was left alone in her room with her thoughts.

^.^.^.^.^.^.^.

As soon as Lucy was in the kitchen, she was ambushed by her sons. She put a single finger up to her lips to signal them to be quiet and pointed at the table, the look on her face not leaving any room for arguments. She waited until they were sitting and looking at her with forced patience.

"Your sister is fine, She's getting ready and she'll be down in a minute. Please remember your manners and do not ambush her with questions about why she was upset." Lucy said, speaking in a quiet voice, but the authority in her voice was still there and both boys nodded quickly.

Michael knew his little sister took her time in the morning and figured he still had another ten minutes before she came bounding down the stairs. He was worried that he was part of the reason she was upset, He hadn't even told her good night last night. It was something he made a habit of doing ever since their dad left, just to give her some sort of stability or comfort and he knew she counted on it. He couldn't help himself from asking their mom. "Come on mom, Why was she crying so hard? Was it about Dad?" _Or me?_ He thought.

Lucy sighed and sat down, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. Michael frowned, not liking how his mom was hesitating. "It was about your father, she found one of his old t-shirts he gave her a while back and I guess it was just the straw that broke the camels back. Poor thing...i hope she feels better now that she's gotten it out of her system a little bit."

His mom looked hopeful but Michael knew that she was thinking the same thing he was. Katie had a hard time admitting that something was hurting her. If you made her angry, you better duck and cover because she had a temper like you wouldn't believe, Sam and he had figured that one out a long time ago. Her being hurt was a different story, She would just let it sit and simmer until one little thing set her off. He knew this was not the last time she would get upset over something that seemed so small and unimportant.

"Do you think it would make her feel better if I made her some chocolate milk? Katie loves chocolate milk." Sam asked, looking wide eyed at his mom with nothing but concern for his big sister. Michael smiled looked at his mom, who was smiling to.

"Yeah Sammy, I'm sure she would love that. Better go fetch it before she comes down." Michael said, nudging his shoulder and the younger brother sprung into action, heading towards the kitchen. They heard the fridge open and shut.

"Better not be taking any of my root beer!" Grandpa's voice echoed from his taxidermy room, startling all of them but making them laugh. They were still chuckling about it when Katie came bounding down the stairs, looking much better and slightly happier. Her outfit was simple, a crop tank top with cut offs and a flower crown she had picked up at a retail shop on the way down. A pair of heart shaped sunglasses hung off her black leather bag and simple flats adorned her feet.

"Hey guys!" She said, sitting down and grabbing a plate filling it with bacon and dippy eggs. She stopped right in the middle of grabbing toast to see Michael looking at her. She still wasn't happy about how he was acting last night and though she didn't feel like being mean, she didn't feel like being sweet either. She settled on a blank look.

"What?" She asked, keeping her voice as indifferent as possible even though she wanted to slap him upside the head and call him an ass.

Michael frowned but just shrugged, finally looking away. Katie could see a bit of guilt in his eyes and had to keep from childishly sticking her tongue out at him. Serves him right.

"Here you go!" Sam said, setting a very full glass of chocolate milk in front of a slightly bemused but happy Katie. She wasn't even aware that they had chocolate milk but then again, after her grandpa's warning she hadn't exactly been eager to look in the fridge.

"Thank you Sammy!" She said and took a big drink of it, smiling up at her obviously proud little brother. Sam was always extremely proud of himself when it came to things like that and she made sure to appreciate all the little things. "When are you guys heading to the beach?"

Michael sent her a look. "As soon as breakfast is done, aren't you coming with?"

Katie nodded. "Of course, I just don't wanna go surfing. I think i'm just gonna walk around see the sites. Maybe get a tattoo."

All three of her family members choked on whatever they were eating or drinking and looked at her incredulously. She managed to keep a straight face for about 5 seconds before busting out into loud obnoxious laughter. "You guys are suckers."

If she would have known what the future held, she wouldn't not have used that term as lightly.

An hour later, Katie was walking down the streets of Santa Carla. Knowing that her brothers were occupied and her mom was at her new job, she reached in her bag and pulled out her pack of cigarettes. She put one in between her plump lips and lit it with a match. She sucked in a deep lungful of the toxic smoke and sighed. It had been almost 3 days since she had even tried to sneak a smoke and honestly, she was more than ready for one. Her mom had no clue that her daughter had even tried smoking, let alone the fact that she was almost a regular smoker. Michael had caught her once but she managed to convince him that it was a 1 time thing. One good thing about being such a good kid for so long, when you start to act out, you can pretty much lie your way out of anything.

She looked around the crowded area and tried to tell herself that she wasn't looking for Dwayne, just being curious. She almost had to laugh out loud at herself because it was beyond obvious that that's what she was doing. She kept herself preoccupied with her cigarette but couldn't help but get annoyed when she realized that none of the group she saw last night were out and about. Michael was going to be disappointed that his precious gypsy girlfriend was nowhere to be found. Taking one last hit of her cigarette, she dropped it on the ground and stamped it out with her feet then reached into her bag and pulled out some juicy fruit she had bought sometime on the ride down. She looked towards the beach where her brothers were and groaned when she realized she would have to just go sit and wait for them because she couldn't wander that far without getting lost.

"Hey Katie! Come on! We're heading back!" She heard her little brother yell and she grinned as she took off in an easy jog towards their land rover. She hopped in and smiled at her brothers, feeling a little better since her nicotine habit had been taken care of. She was seriously going to have to find a way to sneak one at the house every now and again.

"Catch some nice waves?" She asked, putting her sunglasses on to block the glaring sun.

"I was admittedly not that great, but Michael caught on right away." Sam said and proceeded to jump into a story about how a wave had rolled him hard and he thought he was never going to see daylight again. Michael rolled his eyes and shook his head at Katie in the mirror and she gave him a reluctant smile, considerably less upset.

Michael sighed and pulled into the drive way and honked the horn at Nanook who was barking wildly, happy to see Sam. Katie smiled and patted the over excited dog on the head. She had often wished her mom would buy her a dog but Lucy insisted that Nanook was a family dog and that was all they needed. Her mom obviously hasn't seen how Nanook barely tolerates anyone who wasn't Sam

"We're headed back tonight if you wanna tag along again." Michael told her as they walked up to the house. Katie nodded and opened the door, thinking about what she was going to wear just in case tall dark and handsome was there. "We're gonna leave around 5 so you have about 2 hours to do all your girly crap I know you're gonna do."

Katie grinned up at Michael and gave him a quick hug, letting him know she wasn't that angry at him anymore. He grinned and hugged her back, happy to be back in her good graces. She pulled away and went to walk up the stairs when Michael pulled her back and looked at her sheepishly.

"Look i'm sorry about how I acted yesterday, I was an Ass. It won't happen again, I promise." Michael looked sincere and she could tell that he thought he was being sincere but something about the way he looked at that girl made her feel like that wasn't going to be the last time they were gonna have a problem over this kinda shit.

2 hours later, Katie was dressed and ready to have a good time. She grabbed a coat to cover up her top, she knew her mother and knew that she would not be going anywhere near the front door if she saw what her daughter was wearing. Katie wasn't worried about it though, There was a slight breeze so it wasn't that unbelievable that she'd wear a jacket. Convincing Michael and Sam not to tell their mom was a different story but she had dirt on both of them and didn't think it would be that big of a problem. Grabbing her light jacket and zipping it up, she nodded at her reflection, satisfied with the overall outcome. She wasn't a 10 but she could rock a red velvet skirt like nobody's business.

"KATIE!" Michael yelled up the stairs, sounding impatient and she pouted as she smeared on a final coat of dark red lip gloss. She slipped on her shoes and quickly bounded down the stairs, smiling innocently at her mom who smiled obliviously back. Michael didn't look as convinced and narrowed his eyes at her. Katie gave Lucy a kiss on the cheek, laughing when her lip gloss left a kiss print behind. Grabbing her purse from by the door, she ran a hand through her long hair and bounced on her heels as Michael and Sam said their goodbyes. Before she knew it, they were heading down the driveway in their moms car. She was gonna head up later in grandpa's car even though he said no one could drive it ever, under no circumstances. She drummed her fingers on the seat as she fiddled with the radio, grinning in excitement when her favorite 'the doors' song came.

"Cause people are strange, when you're a stranger." She sang bopping her head to the music and smiling at Sam, who also seemed to be enjoying the song. Michael looked stoic and seemed nervous, making her smile. Mikey boy had it bad. When they pulled up and parked, Katie was the first one out, unzipping her jacket and throwing it in the backseat trying not to notice her brothers incredulously staring at her.

"What?" She finally snapped and glared at them.

Michael and Sam both shook their heads.

"No."

"Hello no!"

Katie rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. She was nearly 17 years old. She had a right to wear whatever she wanted and this outfit had been sitting in her closet just waiting to be worn for too long. She was gonna wear it whether they liked it or not. "I think I'm old enough to dress myself, thank you very much."

Michael glared at her, no playfulness in his eyes. She pouted and turned on the puppy dog eyes to the extreme. She wanted to have fun tonight and not worry about anything. "Come on guy's please? Its my first real night out since dad left and I wanna feel good about myself. Don't ruin it for me please?"

She could tell Sam was still not happy with it by the way he was looking at her but Michael just sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, not in the mood to fight because he knew his sister was just as headstrong as he was and neither of them would back down. "Please just stay kinda close by okay Kate? I know you're old enough to take care of yourself but it would make me feel better. Heck stay close to Sam if you have too."

Sam gave an offended look to Michael and puffed out his chest, trying to appear intimidating but only looked slightly constipated which made both of his older siblings chuckle, the tension in the air gone for now. They locked the car and started off down the boardwalk, all 3 of them looking for something different. Katie felt a certain electricity in the air and she just knew, tonight was gonna be a good night.


	3. Chapter 3

The air was humid and the sound of people screaming and laughing were almost too much for Katie. She was a few feet behind mike, watching the dude on the stage play his saxophone. He was moving with the rhythm and his body was drenched with sweat. Any other day, Katie would have been drooling but whenever she looked at any man all she saw was dark eyes from the group of motorcycle dudes. She was even dreaming about him, something she didn't do very often. Every time she heard the revving of any motorcycle, she found herself looking around almost desperately for the long haired man. She hoped that when she saw him, the urge to kiss him or smother him in cuddles would be gone because she really didn't like pining over someone she knew she probably didn't even have a chance with. Michael seemed to be doing the same thing she saw, looking around wildly for the girl with the crazy curls.

"Hey c'mon, I wanna check something out." For a second Katie was confused as she looked up at Michael. She had been too involved in her thoughts to notice him coming to stand at her side.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure." She said and grabbed onto his arm so that they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd of crazy onlookers, mostly women fawning over saxophone man.

They walked for a while until Michael came to stop in front of a piercing booth. He struck up a conversation with the piercer and Katie saw him motioning to his ear. Knowing that he was definitely getting his ear pierced, Katie pulled on his elbow and got his attention. He took one look at her mischievous face and seemed to know exactly what she wanted.

"Katie, don't even."

"If you're getting your ear pierced, I wanna get something pierced too." She said crossing her arms with a pout. Lucy would absolutely freak out and they both knew it.

"No. No way. Mom would kill me with her bare hands, you know just as well as I do that she's stronger than she looks." Michael said while shaking his head vigorously. Katie pouted more and pointed to her bellybutton.

"Mikey! She would never know! At least not for a while and by then I'll probably have done something worse than a piercing. At least I'm not begging for a tattoo." Katie reasoned. She had a point, Katie knew that a piercing would blow over a whole lot easier than a piercing. Lucy had a very strict no tattoos policy that Katie hated.

Michael groaned and shook his head again when the piercer decided to speak up.

"Hey dude, If you let her get her naval pierced, I'll pierce yours for free."

Katie grinned and winked at the pierced who smiled flirtatiously back. He was cute enough but he was spending too much time looking at her chest and no where else. Sleaze bag.

"It's a rip off." Came a soft sweet voice from behind them. Katie instantly tensed up when she saw the curly haired beauty that Michael had become so smitten with. She tried to hold back the initial animosity towards the girl who looked to be just a little older than Michael. It wasn't her fault Michael had a one track mind.

"Hi..." Michael said, seemingly mesmerized. Katie rolled her eyes and smacked herself on the forehead. Her brother the charmer, ladies and gentleman. He definitely has a way with words unlike any other.

Star didn't seem to mind and started walking slowly away from them with a smile on her face. "If you want your ear pierced, I'll do it."

Katie frowned as she unwillingly followed Michael who was following the mystery girl. She had a bad feeling about all of this but didn't open her mouth, She knew Michael would just tell her to leave them alone and she would be by herself. Plus she had to stick with Michael because this girl knew the stranger with the dark hair and there was a better chance of seeing him with her around.

"What's your name?" Ah there we go Mikey, making some progress. Not just saying one syllable words anymore.

"Star." Oh jeeze, it couldn't be Gladys or Delores or something ugly. It had to be Star?

Katie chose to drown them out as Michael spun a tale about almost being named moon beam or some crap like that. She happened to know for a fact that Michael was always gonna be named Michael and that their mom had always been a little too timid to be a hippie. Their dad was another story, He liked to party and have a good time. That's why Katie always thought that her parents balanced each other out nicely.

"and who are you?" Star asks, smiling at Katie who is too nice and caught off guard to say anything but her name.

"Katie's a pretty name. Short for Kathleen?" Star asked and Katie studied the older girl for a second before responding as nicely as she could manage.

"Thank you and Kathryn actually, but you were close."

Star nodded and then went back on conversing with Michael. Katie hung back a little ways and bought a Frozen lemonade from a vendor, she made sure to keep an eye on her older brother who was nearing where they had parked the Car. At some time of the night, Michael had driven back to the ranch to let their mother have the station wagon. Then he just drove his motor bike back and parked It. By then Katie had grown tired of looking around the comic book store and was just wandering around the boardwalk, That's when she found him looking at the earrings. Now they had come full circle and were at his bike and as usual, Katie was just standing there while Michael attempted to flirt.

Right when Michael had amazingly convinced Star to go out and get a bite to eat, The motorcycle gang from the other night roared up on their bikes and Katie could instantly feel the tension between their blonde leader and Michael. They exchanged words back and forth and then finally Blondie introduced himself and his cronies.

"I'm David...that's Dwayne, Paul and Marko." She had been successfully avoiding looking at the Native American biker the entire time David and Michael had been speaking but now that she knew his name she couldn't help but meet his eyes. He had already been looking at her and now she was caught slightly off guard but blushed and smiled at him shyly anyway. He smirked back and winked at her. She briefly heard laddie introduce himself and smiled kindly at the little boy.

"What's your name?" Game a slightly gravely but still insanely warm voice. It made her tummy do flip flops and she could feel her cheeks flame up as everyone turned to look at her, including a surprised Michael, who seemed to have forgotten she existed.

"Katie," She answered and was proud when her voice came out strong and unwavering. She was afraid that she would sound like Sammy had when he hit puberty. For a while he was able to hit notes even she couldn't. "I'm Michael's little sister."

Everyone acknowledged her and she got a small smile out of Dwayne, Which immediately made her want to jump up and down and scream like a little girl. Thankfully, self control was something she had been gifted with.

"So, we still going? Katie can catch a ride home with my mom." Michael said to Star, who looked at David nervously and Katie quickly realized that he had some sort of power over her. She immediately knew that this dude was bad news and she should probably insist that Michael come back with her, but all she could do was send nervous glances at Dwayne who had now struck up a conversation with Laddie. She smiled when she saw how fond the little boy was of him.

Katie was brought back into the present when she heard Stars many wrist bracelets clinking together harmoniously, as she got on the back of David's bike. Katie sent a surprised look to the Older girl who looked crestfallen and guilty but unmoving in her decision. Katie's heart broke a little as she saw the dejected look on her older brothers face. Sending a peeved look in Star and Davids direction, she stood a little closer to Michael, who just glanced at her with a small fleeting smile. Rude.

David took a calculating superior look at Michael's bike.

"Honda, 250 huh?

Michael nodded and Katie could tell he was trying not to look ashamed of having a bike like his, which was a lower model than theirs. It wasn't their fault they were low on money and it certainly wasn't anything to be ashamed of. She was damned proud of what she had because she knew that either her mom or she had worked hard for it. That's what mattered in the grand scheme of things.

"What's it matter?" Katie spoke up, glaring slightly at David to let him know that she wasn't afraid of him or intimidated of his little biker gang.

David looked at Katie for a second, then purposely looked at Michael, choosing to ignore the younger girl. Katie scoffed and scowled, crossing her arms and glaring fiercly at the blonde ringleader. A little chuckle met Katie's ears and she glanced up to make eye contact with Dwayne yet again. He looked amused and Katie felt her scowl faded into a pout almost unwillingly, making him actually break out into a grin that would take any girls breath away.

"Know where Hudson's Bluff is? Overlooking the point?" David asked and then revved his bike which both Michael and Katie recognized as a challenge gesture. Katie bit her lip and appraised the situation nervously, Michael was never one to back away from a challenge and this prick David's bike was better than Mike's. It wasn't going end well.

"I can't beat a triumph." Michael admitted.

"You don't have to beat me Michael, you just have to keep up." David said and revved his bike again.

Michael's face turned grim but determined and I knew that he was going to go with them and in that moment, looking between Dwayne and my brother Katie made the decision that she was going too. As soon as Michael got on his bike, She hopped on behind him before he could say no. There was no time to argue so the two siblings just glared at each other for a second before he peeled out, causing Katie to yelp and grab onto him to avoid flying off and become very friendly with the dirty ground of the boardwalk. The group went flying down the beach, weaving in and out of patches of people and passing large bonfires. Katie made sure to keep her face pressed against Michael's jacket to avoid getting sand in her eyes or mouth. She should've known that they couldn't have a simple uninterrupted night of innocent fun, Nope. Something had to happen and now they were going to die because Michael has a complex about a girl.

"Michael! Maybe you should slow down a little!" Katie shouted in his ear as she felt the bike shake with the effort to keep up with the high speed we were going at. The comment fell on deaf ears as he just revved the bike harder and at the last moment, Katie felt them flying through the air. A shriek escapes her plump lips as they land harshly on the ground with a thump and for a second she's sure they're done as the bike wobbles but Michael managed to right it and they were back to speeding along the beach in no time.

Katie rolls her eyes as she watches Star and Michael reach out to touch each others hands. Seriously? They could find time to do that when they weren't going 90 fucking miles per hour. Was Michael really trying to piss David off more? Because that is exactly what's going to happen.

"Now we race!" David shouted as he noticed Star and Michael's little gestures towards each other. Katie whimpered and held onto Michael tighter as she felt their speed increase even more. She looks from behind his shoulder and feels her stomach drop as she see's nothing but openness in front of them. She knew that by now they were on the cliffs and cliff's have a drop off. That could happen anytime and at the speed they were going, they weren't going to be able to just stop. Michael seems to be reading her thoughts because out of nowhere he pulls back and skids to a stop, almost toppling over the edge of the cliff. Katie screams as she feels rocks dig into her bare legs, that was definitely going to leave mark.

"Ow ow ow." Katie muttered as she pulled herself off of the ground and inspected her leg. It wasn't too bad, just a bit of road rash. It would still be hard to explain to her mother though. Before she could even blink, Michael catapults himself at David and punches him hard enough to make Katie wince.

"You bastard! I had my sister on my bike! She could've gotten hurt!" He growled and put his fists up to prepare for any sort of retaliation from David.

David just rubs his jaw and looks calmly at Michael, a smug look still planted firmly on his pale face. The look in his eyes made Katie's stomach twist, there was something feral there. Something completely wild and uncontrollable. This guy was not someone you mess with and anyone who looked at him would see that. Katie knew Michael saw that and she couldn't understand why her normal, level headed brother was being so reckless.

"How far are you willing to go Michael?"

Ok guys! That's it for this chapter! I'm sorry it took me a while to update but I just graduated High School like 4 days ago so i've just been sorta chilling:) I'm sorry if it's not that great but this is kinda just a filler for now until I really have time to sit down and write! Hope you like it and thank you for your reviews, they made me wanna keep writing!


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own the lost boys or any of the characters besides Katie. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Review please :)

Despite Michael's constant pleas for Katie to go back home and just leave him be, she knew for a fact that she was not leaving him alone with these 'lost boys'. Sure, Dwayne wasn't hard to look at and even Paul was kinda cute but David still gave her stomach knots when she looked at him. There was something off about that boy and as he led her and Michael down to where they lived. If she hadn't been so scared, she would have been really impressed. This place was like a teenage recluse's dream and if the lost boys hadn't already staked a claim to it, she would be all over it. The whole place had a very forbidden look to it, yet she couldn't help but feel at home as she looked around. The old desecrated hotel lobby had seen better days but she could still see how beautiful it must have been at one point and she longed to have seen it at its prime. She ran her fingers over the cracks in the wall and closed her eyes, trying to imagine the once dignified Victorian style lobby.

"It's amazing down here, huh?" Said a soft voice behind her. Even before Katie opened her eyes, she knew it was Dwayne. Even though he was a good foot away from her, she felt him. The skin on her arms rose into goosebumps.

She turned slowly and smiled shyly at him. "It's incredible, it's like being stuck in a different time."

"I know what you mean, I bet it was incredible back when it was an actual hotel." There was a curious glint in his eyes, something that made Katie feel like he knew something she didn't. Swallowing back the urge to question him, She instead nodded and turned her attention to David, who was recounting how the hotel came to be lost to the world.

"This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla back about eighty years ago. Too bad they built it right on top of the San Adreas fault." David paused and looked around the place. "In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header into the crack"

Paul nodded enthusiastically. "Man you wouldn't believe the cool stuff we've found in here."

Paul looked at Katie out of the corner of his eye and smiled directly at her, making her unwillingly blush. He really wasn't all that bad looking, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. There was something feral about him though, something wild and uncontrollable. Katie was intimidated and she wasn't going to even try and lie about it. She hadn't been in many relationships but the ones she had wheren't the greatest. The guys she went for were controlling and aggressive and in turn, she had begun to distance herself from the men who seemed slightly off the hinges. Paul, although attractive, gave off the exact vibe she was trying to avoid. Dwayne on the other hand was something she was unfamiliar with. He was strong and silent, he observed his surroundings and tried to stay out of confrontation as much as possible. Although she wasn't an angel or a complete recluse, Katie could understand and respect those qualities. Dwayne appeared out of nowhere and sat down at the couch she was standing next to. He gave her a surprisingly soft and kind smile and patted the seat next to him. She gladly sat next to him and tried not to show him how much her heart was racing.

"So what do you think about Santa Carla?" Dwayne asked, leaning back against the back of the chair.

Katie shrugged noncommittally. "It's alright, I miss home but it's nice to have a change of scenery. We used to come here when we were younger and its always been sort of a second home. I love boardwalk though."

"That's usually everyone's favorite part, they always like the night life. The partying and the energy. It's incredible," Dwayne said with a knowing smirk. Katie had a feeling he was pretty familiar with it.

"I don't like it because of the whole 'partying' thing. I was into that whole thing back in Phoenix and it was fun but it got me into a lot of trouble. I like it because it's the most free feeling in the world. No one knows you and as long as you aren't being a dick they leave you alone. You can look however you want and no one really gives a shit. In Phoenix you had to dress a certain way and act a certain way. Its exhausting."

Dwayne smiled a little smugly as if he had just learned something about Katie no one else knew.

"That makes sense." He said and lit up a cigarette. Katie instantly wanted a too light one of her own up so she looked to see if Michael was paying attention only to see him take a hit off of a joint. Scoffing and rolling her eyes, she reached in her bag and pulled out her old worn cigarette case and pulled one out. She held it in between her pointed finger and middle finger and raised her eyebrows at Dwayne.

"Can I have a light?"

He chuckled and lit her cigarette, watching her with hooded dark eyes that gave her goosebumps. She was trying not to absolutely freak out about being so close to someone so attractive and so forbidden and the cigarette was really helping her out. She inhaled deeply and laid her head back on the couch as her nicotine high hit.

"So is this place just this big room? Or is there more?" She asked, turning to look at Dwayne, feeling a bit more courageous.

"No there's more, you wanna tour?" He asked winking at her and standing up to grab a torch.

Katie giggled and nodded, holding her hand out for him to pull her up. She was pleasantly surprised when he didn't let go and led her through a crumbling door that was hidden behind a thick musty rug. She swatted a cobweb out of her face and kept an eye on her feet so she wouldn't stumble over a loose rock, Her childhood nickname wasn't Klutzy Kate for nothing.

"A lot of the hotel got destroyed but there are some old rooms back here. It's kind of dangerous so just stick close to me alright, Katie?" Katie was so caught off guard by her name coming out of those perfect pink lips that she lost her footing for a moment and her foot got caught on a loose board that was previously part of the flooring of the hallway. Right before she hit the harsh ground, a strong leather clad arm wrapped itself around her waist and hoisted her back up on her feet like she was a feather.

"Thanks." She said breathlessly and shyly, the blood rushing to her cheeks. Of course she would trip in front of the single most dreamy guy she had ever laid eyes on, telltale Katie.

Dwayne shook his head and shot her an amused look before bring a hand up and running a finger down her blushing cheek, his face growing serious. She struggled to remember how function as his face got closer to hers and he tightened his grip on her waist.

"It's no problem sweetheart."

And she wasn't sure how it happened or who made the first move, but she was damn sure about one thing. This guy could kiss. The way his lips perfectly collided with hers and the way their tongues mingled without a second thought was almost painfully right. She felt her back collide with the wall and she wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to draw him closer to her. He growled against her lips and one hand reached down her cup her bottom to keep her up, the other reached up to cup her face. Her hands definitely weren't tame as she ran them through his dark mane of curls and tugged them fiercely.

Finally they separated and she took a deep breath of much needed air. although Dwayne looked calm and collected and was breathing just fine, despite their heavy kissing session. She couldn't help but blush again as he looked at her with lust filled eyes. She wasn't an angel and she wasn't inexperienced but no kiss had ever made her heart race that fast that quick.

"So, do you still wanna take that tour?" Dwayne spoke up, keeping his voice low and quiet. Katie could recognize a hint when she heard one and even though she was extremely attracted to Dwayne and she wanted to take this further, she knew that she wasn't ready for all that tonight.

"Yes, but no more funny business mister! I actually really wanna see this place, I like it here." She said and wiggled her hips slightly so he would put her down. He got the message and put her down gently on her feet and that's when she noticed for the first time that the torch he had been previously holding was now hanging from a bracket on the wall. For a second she allowed herself to wonder about how he had managed to put it up there and catch her at the same time but then he was tugging at her hand and she forgot logical thinking and followed him down the forgotten corridor.

By the time Katie and Michael got home, the sun was coming up and she thought that they were both done for. In Phoenix, she would get her Ass busted for staying out so late, But when they walked into the house as quietly as possible, no mom was waiting for them. Realizing they were okay and not in trouble, the two journeyed upstairs to their rooms, each exhausted.

Michael caught her elbow right before she opened the door to her room and gave her a serious look

"Look Katie, I'm not sure those guys are good for you to be around. Maybe you should keep your

distance."

"I really don't think that you have a right or a say in what I do Michael. If they are safe enough for you to be around, then they are safe enough for me." Katie said back, defiance and stubbornness in her voice.

Michael rolled his eyes and stormed into his room, shutting the door behind him. Katie watched him go with a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had a feeling that their world was about to be thrown off kilter. There was something about this group of guys that made Michael foolish and irresponsible. When he was with them he wasn't the Michael she knew. He was different and she knew it was to impress them and Star. Especially Star. As she laid down in her bed with her clothes still on, she thought of Dwayne and had to smile. Dude had it going on and she wasn't sure she could stay away from him now even if she tried.

Alright! Thats it for nowww! I'm trying to get these chapters out as fast as possible so thank you guys for being patient and thank you for your reviews! They're what make me want to continue and finish this story! See ya next chapter! - Moe


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys! I'm so sorry i haven't updated or anything in so long. I got discouraged by a few negative reviews and i shouldn't have. I know that some people say i'm copying this story from the movie word for word and honestly i didn't mean for it too seem that way. I love the movie a heck of a lot and just wanted to stay as true to it as possible. I tried to change it up a little in this chapter and i don't know how well it is but i did my best. I hope you enjoy it, please review and tell me what you think!

- Moe

* * *

The next few days passed quickly for Katie. Despite her yearnings to go out and ride around with Dwayne like the irresponsible teenager she used to be, she knew her mother needed her help. Michael had been slacking off on pretty much everything since their night with the Lost Boys, it was rare for him to be home before sunrise and you had to practically pry him off of his bed in the afternoon. Katie stepping up and taking care of Sam was the only thing keeping Lucy from completely losing her mind. When her mother was working or out of the house, Katie was with Sam trying her best to keep him entertained and satisfied so he wouldn't complain. It was easier said than done because Sam was, without a doubt, one of the most hyper melodramatic person she had ever come into contact with. He had insisted they go into town because he had become infatuated with a comic book store owned by two strange brothers that she got an odd feeling off of, but sadly she hadn't gotten her license and there was no way in hell she was walking all the way into town. They just had to wait until their mother was willing to take them due to the fact that Mike had been unwilling to spend any time with his siblings. It wasn't something Katie was used to, she had always relied on her big brother for pretty much everything and up until this point, he hadn't let her down.

"Katie, can we wake Michael up? Maybe he'll do something with us." Sam pleaded as she made them both sandwiches.

Katie sighed and shrugged her shoulders, smearing mayonnaise on a piece of wheat bread. "If you wanna, go for it. I don't even want to look at him right now to be honest."

"Hey, I'm sure this is Mike just blowing off some steam. Once school starts, he'll be back to his normal self and everything will be fine. We just have to be patient." Sam reasoned and gave her a rare peck on the cheek before fleeting upstairs to wake the sleeping teenager.

Katie pouted at his fleeting figure and took a bite out of her sandwich. As she chewed, she thought about what Sam had said and decided that blowing off steam was no excuse for how much of an asshole Mike was being. She knew that they had all had a hard time lately but she was never one for making up excuses for someone and Michael wasn't an exception despite him being her brother. Katie knew him better than anyone and this shitty attitude and the recent string of events weren't sitting right with her.

"Ta da! I got him up, guess you just have to have the magic touch huh?" Sam's expression was gleeful as he bounced into the room to stand next to her, snatching the other sandwich she had made and digging in. "Katie, you are the queen of the sandwich."

Katie laughed and picked up a napkin, wiping mustard off of Sam's cheek. The boy just shrugged and continued scarfing down the food as if he hadn't eaten for days. A throat being cleared caused her to look up and meet the eyes of her exhausted brother, large bags were under his eyes and the stubble on his chin indicated that he was past due for a shave.

"What?" Katie inquired, her voice sounding clipped and guarded. Michael noticed but he didn't say anything, just opened his mouth, shut it and opened it again. "Spit it out Michael."

"Nothing, forgot what I was going to say." He deadpanned and turned to get a glass out of the cabinet.

"I'm going with you too David's tonight. Sam will be alright at that comic book store." Katie wasn't sure where that had come from or why she blurted it out but she knew that she was going to follow through on what she said.

Michael froze and Katie saw his grip on the glass tighten to the point that she was afraid he was going to shatter it. Finally he set it down and turned around to face her, eye's serious and if she was being honest, kind of scary. It shocked her that she thought that because Michael had never scared her, not seriously anyway.

"No way in hell."

"I don't really think you have any say in the matter, Michael."

"Damn right I have a say, you're my sister and I say you are not going around those guys. It isn't the place for you and you aren't going."

Sam sat, eyes wide and mouth full of food as his two siblings got angrier and angrier with each other. Finally he decided to go out and bug his grandpa, anything was better than seeing a war erupt in the kitchen.

"Micheal David Emerson, you are not my damn father. You can't tell me what to do and you've pretty much lost the right to even try, so yes, I am going. If you don't like it, kiss my ass." Katie shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him, her eyes angry and her teeth clenched.

Michael stared at her with a stunned expression for a moment before closing his eyes tiredly and rubbing a hand down his face. He knew that his sister was dead set in going and that if he didn't take her along, she'd find another way to get there. He reasoned with himself that at least if he took her, he could keep an eye on her and make sure she was safe. He wouldn't ever forgive himself if something happened to Katie and he knew that David and his boys were bad news and dangerous but he couldn't help being drawn to them. He liked the feeling of adrenalin that he got when he was riding with the Lost Boys. He felt dangerous and on edge and it was a rush that he couldn't get enough of. Being around Star so often wasn't that bad either.

"Fine but I swear to God Kate, you don't leave my side. Understood?"

Katie nodded, her face impassive and still defensive but her mind racing. She was going to see what Michael was willing to give up his family life for, what he was so absorbed in that it had taken over his day to day activities. A small zing of fear shot through her as she remembered the feral look in David's eyes that night on the beach, that look was enough to give her goosebumps and the willies all at the same time. The only one that she was remotely comfortable with was Dwayne and they had shared a kiss in the hallway that she had replayed in her head a thousand times. She wasn't the type of girl to expect things but she couldn't help but let a tiny bit of hope seed of hope seep into her heart. A tiny seed of hope that she quickly demolished, Dwayne was in a gang with David, therefore something had to be off with him. She was just afraid to find out what it could possibly be.

**4 hours later**

Sam was slightly peeved that both of his siblings were leaving him and started to complain but one look from Katie quickly silenced him. He had to remind himself that she had been with him all day, every day for the past week and that she probably needed her space. He just didn't see why getting that space from him required going with Michael and his Wacko biker gang. Despite his understanding and Katie's withering look, Sam could tell she felt bad for leaving him behind and tried to reassure her.

"Katie, I know its hard to be away from me and my handsome face but go, spread your wings. I'll be waiting at the Comic book store if you need me, but seriously shoo." He pushed her in the direction of Michael and the Lost boys, who were all looking especially broody in individual ways. "But be careful. That dude with the albino ferret hair makes me uncomfortable."

Katie laughed and gave him a small affectionate shove before ruffling his hair and walking off towards the biker gang. She silently prided herself on wearing jeans and a light sweater as she climbed on behind Michael, because despite it being summer, riding on the back of a bike got chilly. Without meaning too, she met Dwayne's eyes and blushed but smiled back at him when he gave her a small wave. All at once, as if they rehearsed it in their spare time, the boys revved their bikes. She noticed Michael took part in said revving and scowled at the back of his head, feeling resentment towards how he had incorporated himself into the group.

"Hold on," Michael told her over his shoulder and she did. She knew from experience how reckless they could be and the road rash on her leg was just starting to heal. She didn't need any more to add to the collection. Keeping her face buried in Mike's back, she felt a thrill course through her and fought the urge to raise her hands in the air and let the wind slide through her fingers. She heard whoops and hollers coming from ahead and couldn't help but grin because despite her reservations and her anger towards Michael, this was fun.

They arrive at the cave in what felt like no time and Katie quickly removed herself from the back of the Motorcycle, refusing any help from her sibling. She heard the waves hitting the cliffs and the smell of the salt water was thick in the air. Taking a deep breath, she separated herself from the band of hooligans and walked closer to the edge of the cliff, near where the stairs for the cave entrance were located. Katie watched the powerful waves hit the cliff wall with such force that she was momentarily scared and took a small step back. A cold hand grasped hers and Katie nearly jumped out of her own skin before turning and seeing that it was Dwayne.

"Hey stranger," Katie felt like her voice didn't sound like her own, it sounded more confident and self assured than she felt.

"Hi." Was all he said back, smirking slightly and eying her with deep fathomless velvet eyes. She bit her lip and glanced down at his smirking pair unwillingly. He smiled as though he knew exactly what she was thinking and it took her breath away.

"What's the plan for tonight?" Katie asked, keeping her voice light and airy.

"Well, the boys and I were going to take your brother out and show him a good time but since you've decided to join us, things have changed a little." He explained, keeping a hold of her hand.

She frowned and her brow creased in worry.

"How so? I didn't think it was a problem that I came."

"No that's not it, you're always welcome here but sometimes the things that we get up to just aren't appropriate for a pretty thing like yourself, darling."

Katie blushed and bit her lip again, not sure of what to say. She felt bad that she had altered their plan and while she was overjoyed at the compliment he gave her, she was slightly peeved that something they were doing was obviously being kept from her, something Michael was taking part in and hiding from her. "Well what's going on now?"

"They're still going to take him out, I offered to stay here and keep you company. Michael wasn't too thrilled but we convinced him that it was for the best." Dwayne seemed pleased with himself and that's when Katie noticed that the other guys were on their bikes watching them. She felt a tad bit embarrassed and pulled her hand from Dwayne's.

"Okay, but I need to talk with Michael first." He just nodded and watched her jog to her brothers bike. She felt a tad bit on the spot because no matter where she moved, their gazes were still on her. Stepping closer to Michael to try and gain some privacy, she lowered her voice. "Mike, look I don't know whats going on but please be careful. I know you're going to go with them whether or not I want you to but at least make sure you stay safe for my sake okay?"

Michael just nodded and wouldn't look her in the eye, which frustrated her to a whole new level but she tried to let it go. She felt safe with Dwayne and she knew Star and Laddie were going to be in the abandoned hotel too. It was Michael she was worried about, she didn't trust the rest of them. Before she knew it they were gone, clouds of dust and sand clouds were the only remnants that they had been there.

"Come on, I bet you have questions."

Katie snapped her head to look up at Dwayne with surprise written all over her feminine features. She did have a lot of questions but she wasn't expecting any answers from anyone, everyone around here was too hush hush. "Yeah, I do."

With that, she followed him into the Hotel, gripping onto his hand to ensure that she didn't tumble down the rickety old brown steps to her death. Star and Laddie were both already down there and curled up next to each other talking in hushed whispers. Star gave Katie a small smile and laddie gave her a full blown grin, making her giggle. Dwayne led her through the now familiar hallways before opening a door that led into a room that they had passed by previously on their little tour. It smelled slightly musty, as If it hadn't been used in a while but It was relatively clean despite being tattered and run down. A large four poster bed that had to have been pristine and glorious in it's prime but was now discombobulated and broken looking sat against one wall. The mattress appeared to be torn to shreds and she frowned, wondering why he had led her in hear.

"The boys don't like coming into any of these old rooms, they prefer to stay in the main lobby but I thought you would appreciate it." Dwayne said, plopping down on a ratty couch. She mused briefly over how graceful he was for such a tall man but chose to overlook that and sit next to him instead.

"I do. It's amazing, I feel like I'm in a different century." Katie spoke quietly, feeling as though she couldn't speak any louder. "Dwayne, how did you become part of all this? You don't seem as out of control and savage as the rest of them."

Dwayne took her question in stride and paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts and trying to decide how to word his answer to her loaded question. "I was kicked out of my home and on my own. David took me in and I've been riding with him and the boys ever since. They're all I've known for a long time now."

"Okay, that makes sense. I kind of get the whole vibe from you guys. You all seem to be living on your own terms without ties to anything but each other and this place."

He nodded, glancing over at her. "Yeah, we definitely live by a different set of rules than most people."

Katie frowned. "I feel like you guys are hiding something, something big. I don't mean to be so forward or snoopy but I'm worried about Michael and I'm going to be honest Dwayne, David scares the shit out of me."

"All I can say is that I'm trying my best to make sure that you're kept out of this. Michael's a big boy and he's going to have to figure things out for himself but you're different. I want to protect you, I want to keep you safe but it's hard because I'm not safe Katie, I'm no good for you but damn it, I can't help but want to be with you." Dwayne sounded conflicted and his eyes were intense and focused on her. What he said frightened her but her heart was racing at his confession of wanting to keep her safe.

Katie rested her forehead on his and cupped his cheeks in her small hands, Dwayne held her hands with his own and closed his eyes. "Why do I feel like this is much bigger than I thought it was? Why do I feel like Michael and I can't walk away anymore? I want to be angry with you, I want to storm out of here and cuss you until I'm blue in the face but I can't bring myself too. I feel safe with you and I don't understand that because obviously something is very off here, something very dangerous."

"Katie, I wish I could tell you everything but it's much bigger than us. I'm sorry about Michael, I wish we would've avoided this whole thing but it's happened and there's nothing I can do but try my hardest to protect you." With that, he leaned forward and gently placed his soft pink lips on hers. It was amazing that a simple kiss could hold so much. So much sorrow but so much care, so much regret but so much hope. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. Dwayne responded with fervor and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. She pulled away for breath and buried her face in his neck, fighting back the childish urge to cry because she knew that this wasn't going to end well, their entire relationship was basically just barely starting but obviously they were caught up in something scary and she didn't even what.

"Katie, I think we keep this too ourselves. I don't want you getting hurt and people that stay around us, tend to suffer. I'm not giving you up because I don't think I can, but I can try my best to shield you from all of this." Wrapped up in Dwayne on that old raggedy sofa, Katie closed her eyes and sighed as she heard the tell tale signs of the boys returning.

"Come on darling, time to see if Michael's ready to get you out of here." Dwayne told her, giving her a kiss on the forehead and helping her up. She followed him out of the room and back into the lobby with a heavy heart.

Michael was sitting on a bench looking the same as he had ever since he met the lost boys, unattached and full of attitude but when he saw her, he instantly looked relieved. The look on his face gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach and as she glanced up at Dwayne, she saw the tail end of a look he was giving David. A look that made her worry even more. "Come on Mike, let's go home." She said softly.

For once he didn't argue with her, just nodded and followed her out of the cave, just stopping once to cast a look at Star. The ride home was silent and the tension around them was heavy, neither of them knew what the other was thinking and frankly she wasn't sure she wanted to know what was going on in Mike's head at the moment. She crashed pretty much as soon as she got home, not bothering to even take off her shoes. The long night had taken a toll on Katie and the fact that she was fully clothed didn't even register, she just fell face first on her beg and was dead to the world.

** the next day **

"Katie! Wake up, we need to talk. It's about Michael." Katie groaned and pushed her head under her pillow, trying to drown out the sound of her little brothers voice. "Seriously Katie! I'm freaking out."

Hearing the genuine distress in her younger brothers voice, she groggily lifted her head up and opened her eyes sleepily. Once she was able to focus on her brother, she slowly sat up right and rubbed her eyes. "What Sam?"

"I think Michael's undead." Katie stopped rubbing her eyes and sent a disbelieving look at her brother, who she decided was delusional.

"Excuse me? What do you mean undead?" She deadpanned, trying not to sound as irritated as she felt. "Sam, I was with him last night. He was fine."

Sam shook his head fervently and shoved a comic book at her that had a bald man wearing a cape with fangs on the front of it. "The frogg brothers gave me this and he has all the symptoms of being a vampire."

"Sammy, I don't think that's possible. Michael's just got a new gang of friends and he's trying to impress them okay? He's more of an ass now but he's still living, breathing Michael. I promise." Katie tried her best to sound reassuring and comfort him, because she knew it just wasn't possible. Vampires don't exist. "What time is it anyway?"

"It's 3. Mike's In his room doing something, I woke him up about one because mom called. She basically made him stay home tonight. I thought I'd let you sleep though." Sam answered while absentmindedly flipping through the comic book, Katie grinned and stood up, stretching her limbs out.

"Thanks bud, I appreciate it." She leaned down and kissed his forehead despite knowing how much he hated it. He made a face and quickly hopped off her bed.

"Whoa now, just because I did you a favor doesn't mean you gotta go all sappy on me!" With that, he ran out of her room as if he was on fire.

"Crazy kid." Katie muttered and started digging around in her drawers for comfortable clothes to change into. Pulling out some flannel pj's and a baggy t-shirt, she quickly changed and threw her hair up with some chopsticks. The sound of Sammy banging around in the kitchen made her decide to go check on him because honestly, he could barely work the toaster. "Sam, what are you doing?"

"Trying to see if mom has any garlic anywhere." He answered, digging through the cabinet of spices, making a mess.

"Sammy, that's enough. Go clean your room." She commanded, giving him a stern look. He looked as if he were about to protest but thought better of it and walked out without much of a fight.

Katie quickly started making lunch for herself, Sam and after a moment of thought, Michael. He was an ass but she wasn't going to let him starve. Besides, her grilled ham and cheese sandwiches were pretty damn good and neither of her brothers ever turned them down. "Michael! Sam! I'm making sandwiches!"

It took a minute but the sound of footsteps came down the stairs and then Sam was in the kitchen. 5 minutes later and with a seemingly black cloud hanging over him, Michael came in. She took one look at his brooding face and rolled her eyes. He looked like he truly was a part of the gang with his tight black shirt and his raggedy jeans. His ear was still pierced and it looked so bizarre and wrong on him that she wanted to lean over and rip it out of his ear.

Sam seemed to read her thoughts. "Lose the earring mike, it isn't working for ya."

She tuned out their bickering and continued making the sandwiches. She looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 4 o'clock, Her mom had a date tonight and probably wouldn't be home till late so she figured that she'd just do some cleaning to keep herself occupied, hopefully she could convince Sam to help her out. Michael would probably just lay in his room and gaze at the ceiling, something weird and grumpy. "Stop it. Here take the sandwiches. Sam when you're done, I need you to help me clean the bathroom."

"What?! Why can't Mike help you?!" Sam protested indignantly through a mouthful of ham and cheese, making Katie roll her eyes.

"Because, I want you too. It's funny watching you clean the toilet." She said, grinning widely at him.

"That's so not fair! What have I done to deserve such cruel siblings?!"

Michael spoke up, surprising both Sam and Katie. "Just got lucky I guess."

Both Katie and Michael laughed, something that hadn't happened in a while and while Sam looked like he wanted to smile, he pouted and kept eating his sandwich and Katie grinned, knowing that she was going to have a helper.

**3 hours later**

The bathroom was spotless, as well as the kitchen. Dinner had been made and eaten and now Katie was doing the dishes, staring into the dark front yard trying to decide whether she wanted to plant flowers or not. Gardening had never been her forte but sweet Jesus, she was so bored she might just pick it up. Daisies would look pretty, maybe with some gardenias.

"Kate, do you think Grandpa would notice if I took an Oreo out of his drawer in the fridge?" Sam asked from his spot at the table, where he was looking at himself in the reflection of the glass, trying to fix his hair. Boy needed a washing and that was obvious.

Katie scoffed and shook her head. "Sammy, that would be your funeral."

"Ya think? I mean there is a hole package. How is he gonna notice one is missing?"

Sam seemed genuinely tempted to take an Oreo so Katie firmly shook her head no and pointed towards the fridge. "If he see's that one Oreo is missing, you're gonna end up stuffed like those animals that you have hidden in your closet."

Sam visibly reacted and shook his head no. "I'm good then, those things freak me out."

"Join the club Sammy, join the club."

They had been sitting in a comfortable silence for a while and Katie finally finished the dishes. Michael walked into the living room and right when he opened his mouth to say something, what sounded like 20 motorcycles came roaring through their yard making Katie scream and grab Sam, who held her back and looked at Michael with terrified eyes. Michael looked worried and walked towards the double doors leading to the front.

"Michael, don't!" Katie yelled at him, scared tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah Mike, Please!" Sam shouted, gripping onto Katie tighter.

Michael ignored them both and flung open the doors, to reveal nothing. The sound stopped and an empty yard stared back at them. Katie could still hear the roaring of the motorcycles and the fear was still prominent in her heart as it raced wildly. She gave Sam one final squeeze and let him go, feeling strangely numb and disconnected from the situation. She looked at Michael but didn't feel any sort of attachment towards him, there was nothing but resentment and sadness. Without saying a word to either of them, she turned and ran up the stairs, Getting to her room and slamming the door shut behind her. She was so absorbed in her actions, she didn't notice the person sitting on her bed.

"Katie. We need to talk."

"Dwayne?!"


End file.
