The rain poured down and I had just enough strength to try and put my hand over my exposed ear. It was cold and wet and I shivered, my bones rattling with a sharp chill. I couldn't breathe right from the blood coming from my nose and the rain trying to get in. I can't believe I fell for such an obvious trick... I can't believe I was dumb enough to trust him...

*****************************

10 HOURS AGO

When I woke up from sleeping in my parent's bed, I found Mom holding me as I snuggled up against her and Dad's arm around me from the back. I smiled when Kasai stretched in my stomach, bumping Mom. She woke up and smiled at me, touching my face.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Best sleep I've gotten in a while."

"Like I said, snuggled up." She said, seeing Dad's arm laying across me.

"Men don't snuggle, Geneva." Dad said, although I'm sure he wasn't all awake yet.

We all laughed at that and Mom got up.

"I have to go to work. You're more than welcome to stay in the bed until you're ready to get up."

"I think I'll take a shower." I said.

Mom helped me out of the bed and I made my way to my room to get some clean underwear and also to check my phone for any messages. I had forgotten all about the text I sent Mars until I saw it again. I reread it and cringed at how whiny I sounded but frowned when I saw that he hadn't even looked at it. At least that's what the send receipt indicated by not having an indication. There was a text from Zylith though, and I opened it, finding a selfie of her kissing the camera and the caption 'love ya bae' underneath it. I sent back a general smiley face because I'm a dweeb. The only other text was from Kole and I opened it.

Hey. Mars told me about the text that you sent. He said that he wanted to talk to you in person about it after school. Would that be okay?

I made a face. Why wasn't Mars telling me this himself? And there was nothing that showed that he read the text so how did Kole know about it?

How do you know about the text? I don't see where he read it.

Mars deleted your number from his phone, so he doesn't have the settings for sending back 'read notices' for numbers he doesn't know.

How come Mars isn't telling me this himself?

To be honest, he seemed apprehensive about talking with you again and so I thought that I could make it more of a surprise meeting that could maybe break the ice a little better.

So Mars doesn't know?"

I'm going to tell him something different to get him to come with me.

God this seems so suspicious but then again, if Mars was avoiding me, then being forced to face me might make him willing to listen and see what could be done. I had a bad feeling about this, but I was kind of desperate.

Okay. I'll meet him. Tell me where to go.

***************************

3 HOURS AGO

I told Mom that Mars was going to meet me at our old clubhouse in the woods that was across the street from the house. Kole said it would be easier to meet up there without the other's parents getting all pissy and it would give me the privacy of showing up looking like I do now. Dad had gotten me this really big hoodie to wear that covered me and Kasai perfectly and sweats were about the only things good enough to wear anymore. There were no jeans big enough to work in any of the local stores and I wasn't going to waste money on buying them online when I was going to be back to normal soon anyway. The woods had a clear path from my house to the clubhouse from all those years of trekking through the woods to get here, so Mom didn't seem too concerned for me walking there.

I made my way to the rundown treehouse at about 4:00 and waited for everyone to get there. The temperature had dropped and the air was heavy with the threat of rain. I hope it didn't take too long to get things rolling... Not that I wouldn't do anything to try and mend my friendship but it's kind of nippy and I didn't want to get rained on. Some bushes moved and Kole walked into the small clearing.

"Why didn't you just use the nice path?"

"Because I was coming from that way and there is no path." He said, pointing back from where he came. "Besides, I didn't want anyone to see me going into the woods."

"You're still afraid of what everyone will say?"

"Would you like nosy people to find you?"

I didn't say anything as some more bushes rustled and I brightened, expecting Mars to show up, but when the leaves parted, my heart sank. It was definitely not who I expected it to be. I stepped back in both fear and confusion. What the hell was he doing here?

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Good god... You weren't joking..." he said, staring at me with is mouth open.

"Where's Mars?"

"Mars? Who the- oh, your boyfriend? I have no idea. Kole just told me to come with him because you were going to be alone. I've been waiting to see that grotesque body of yours for myself and shit, you are one ugly motherfucker."

Dawaen lifted a small bottle I didn't know he had up to his mouth and took a small swig. It looked like those little bottles of liquor you can get at the store and the smell was strong even from here. He probably stole it from his parents' liquor cabinet or something. Not that I'm a saint, but I wouldn't drink whatever he's drinking... Damn, it smells like pure alcohol... and by the looks of Dawaen's flushed face, it didn't look like that was his first one that day.

I looked at Kole as he watched Dawaen with a pensive look. He didn't look surprised or anything else of the nature.

"You set me up to meet with Dawaen instead of Mars." I said, understanding.

"Sorry." He said with a shrug.

"No you're not-"

I felt a sting to my face and my head fly to the side. My cheek was burning and I turned back, finding Dawaen staring at me angrily.

"You shut that hole in your face, you disgusting monstrosity."

"I haven't even seen you since I got back the Earth. What the heck did I do to make you so angry? Why are you so angry at me?"

Hands were suddenly around my throat and I was slammed up against something hard, most likely the door of the treehouse since it had fallen. His grip was so strong that at one point he was drinking beer and the other was holding me up as I choked. I kicked and squirmed but I couldn't get his terrible grip from my neck. I was about to pass out...

He finally let go enough to let me slide to the ground and he pinned me where I was, looking at me with a hatred I didn't understand.

"You disgust me to my very core... How can you live? How can you even be allowed to breathe the same air as me? Just looking at your nasty face makes me want to kill you."

Dawaen threw the bottle from him and pulled back a fist.

I closed an eye.

******************************

PRESENT

I can't remember much after that. I just remembered the fists and the kicks, yelling and thunder and rain, slipping in and out of consciousness as well as anything else that could be done in all honesty. I think a few of my bones were even broken... Everything was unleashed onto me from Dawaen but even though the physical pain was horrible, the worst part about it all was watching Kole. He just stood there while Dawaen took out all of his anger and frustrations on me until it apparently got too much for him as well and he grabbed a hold of Dawaen. But the damage had already been done and I don't necessarily mean regarding my beatdown.

Not only had he targeted my face, he targeted Kasai. He kicked my stomach, punched it and anything else... I failed to protect him. I failed to keep my baby safe... I'm so sorry, Kasai... I wrapped my arms around my bruised stomach, hugging him and crying for my failure as his parent. Now I understand how Mom and Dad feel regarding me. I needed to get back home but I didn't have the strength to get up off and ground and I felt that if I tried to stand, everything holding Kasai inside would come gushing out. I coughed and then felt myself start to gag. I was able to sit up just enough to vomit but that was about all I could do. I plopped back down in the wet grass as I thought about everything that had just transpired.

Dawaen kept yelling about a lot of stuff, most of it was trivial things like how I had the audacity to be alive or how I was a horrible human being for being this way. Things that really weren't in my control... but then he started talking about things that were exceedingly beyond my control, like the fact that Zylith didn't like him but she liked me, how I was seducing her or something... It was nonsense really, but it gave him more fuel to work with.

I knew I had to get back to my house. It was just up the path and across the street. It only took me ten minutes to walk here from the house... I could feel my face starting to swell from all the punches and the aches where he had kicked and punched were settling in. I closed my eyes and started to lift myself up, wincing in pain and then gritting my teeth as a pain that went from my spine to the front of my stomach made me almost gag. I gripped the mud to stifle the pain but when I closed my eyes, all I saw was Kole. The way he idly stood there while Dawaen did what he did to me... to Kasai... Anger coursed through me and gave me enough strength to at least get up off the ground and stand. I stumbled when I took my first step, catching myself on a tree, but my legs were wobbly and I couldn't hold my head up straight...

Fuck... I have to get home... I have to get home so I can get my parents to call Dr. Bluewater... my baby... Kasai... He's dying...

"Max?"

I moved my head to see who had called me but I moved too quickly and almost fell forward. I thought I was going to lose Kasai for good but a pair of arms caught me and I leaned into the embrace. Please just save my baby... was all I could think of.

"They will pay for what they have done to you. They will not get away with this... Max, I need you to look at me." I moved my head but it was so heavy that it just fell backwards. "Can you see me? Can you even tell who I am?" I just stared blankly at the shadowing figure. Swollen eyes and playing with the lines of consciousness weren't exactly the best mixes for identification. "Shit, this isn't going to do... Shilwunvleksjulow, kerreno hoki kallawe."

I felt my body stiffen. I knew that language... oh god... Why? Why were they here?

"Irkahapmul kerreno. Pehogyan hoadinel esa inin."

"Evane mintrite aijo banrotoben hiahia kozulo aegy kallawe itimek En ate apogyap mintrite ate. Akarate elktuku piateg hoadinel ate En. Kialen kultono nakinek kiba roto ate amhi meleles taphotortahi kerreno hoki maae."

"Miera?"

"Vanhe irkahapmul mintoa runglegai oretona tea, aztaalmeg ate pukpuk apogyap zorosmah omnugin telohyhi tarrulerul."

"Ogfoogmulde keereno. Irkahapmeg hoadinel. Teator tov runga a tekou oharto gilegle elktukumeg kallawe errenger nakinek."

"Max, you have to trust me. We're going to get you home."

"Why are you here? Why can't you just leave me alone?! I just got beat up... please... I just want to save my baby... I don't want to deal with your stupid alien shit! Just let me be! PLEASE!"

"Listen to me, Max." the person said, touching my face softly. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to get you back home. I know you're scared but you have to trust me. I won't let them do anything to you, but I need you to be calm so that I can send you back home."

"No! All you're going to do is trick me and send me back to the ship! Get away from me!" I screamed, trying to wrench myself away from whoever was holding me. "That's all you ever appear for! That's all you ever want to do is fuck me over! I know that language almost better than my own! You're one of them!" I winced, that horrid pain from before ripping through me. "I... I need a doctor..."

"What?"

"My baby... Kasai... Dawaen hurt my stomach and I think..." I trailed off, another pain going through me.

This growl that sounded like my dad when he was enraged sounded all around me, full of just primal rage. I felt the hands that were holding me up squeeze me a little as they tried to keep themselves in check.

"Those two will pay for what they've done... Do you know where the doctor is located?"

"No... I know it's in a storage unit but I can't think right now... I just want to save my baby. I know that I'm only a vessel to this child you guys made me harbor and that I don't matter at all, but please... please..."

I hated begging and I hated even more that I was begging one of those alien assholes. I felt hands on either side of my face.

"You mean more than a vessel to me, Max." I thought I sensed something familiar in the voice, the rain hitting the tin roof of the old clubhouse and the leaves making it hard to really understand them. "Hurgu kallawe nakinek. Koegyta tobatu taphotazor kozulo."

"Azko aggusa taphozator ate?"

"Aegen."

"Hurgumeg kedomeg tov runga a tekou oharto nosag esa kallawe."

"Taeshall."

I felt someone hug me and then I felt my pain subside as I became light as a feather.

***********************************

I must have blacked out for a second because the next thing I knew, I was being leaned up against something hard, the rain not hitting me on the face.

"I'll get your parents to come to the door and then they'll be able to take you to your doctor."

"You've been an alien this whole time?"

"...Do you know who I am?"

"No, it's just... You know where my house is and I feel like I know you. I can't tell who you are based on voice since I think the head trauma is making it difficult. I think I know, but I can't be sure... How close are you to me?"

"Close enough to be familiar." Obviously. "You really can't figure me out?"

"Do you want me to?"

"It would make things easier..."

"Why? What was the point of being here if you were going to fuck with me from up there?"

"I was sent here to just... watch you but then... I'm sorry, Max. I wish I could tell you more."

"I just wanted to go home... I just wanted to be left alone and be with my parents. Why couldn't you people just let me be?"

The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the rain as it came down. There was a dull knock on the door. I felt the pain subsiding, falling into a dull thud, but the person never really answered me.

"We can't let you be because we don't understand. You were an experiment... at least to them. For me... this was something different."

I heard them leave as I pondered what exactly that meant. I wish my mind was clearer so that I could have pinpointed the voice. It had a weird ring to it, neither male nor female sounding... I didn't have time to think about that though because even though I didn't feel the pain as hard now, I knew in the depths of my soul that something was happening.

Dawaen kicked and punched my stomach.

Kasai was coming.