American Mew Mews

“Mamma, wake up,” yells my 3 year old son, Angelo, in my ear. “We are going to the petting zoo today with papà today so get up.”

“That’s not until noon, Ang, and besides my band will be there as well so it is not just us and Leo. And for heaven's sake it is 5 am and you don't get me up until 6 so go back to bed.”

“Can I sleep with you?”

“Yes, you can for all I care.”

Angelo cuddles beside me and falls asleep fast and I fall back asleep myself. It is a good two hours before either of us wakes up again. So I get Angelo ready for the day before I get myself ready as well. The extra hour from the normal 6 wake up is much appreciated and I'm more rested because sometimes I get nightmares at night from what I've been through. My childhood wasn't the best, Angelo’s biological father is my maternal half-brother who raped me for 8 years after my dad’s death, and I was put in an Aunt and Uncle custody. Those years weren't the greatest being treated as a slave and being abused. In time Angelo will have to know who his biological father is but not right now, he needs a childhood. And I am trying to give that to him but still I am young myself so it is hard.

As of right now I'm staying with one of my many brothers Stefano who is part of the youngest children who happens to be quadruplets Sara, Sofia, Stefano, and I, Susanna, make the set up. Sara and Sofia are in a girl group in South Korea while Stefano and I are in America with a band started as a garage band and somehow got signed right away after our 1st performance to Spirit Records a subsidiary of The Rizzo Entertainment for more alternative music. Steve and I think it helped being the children of Dante Rizzo and a part of the Rizzo Entertainment itself but we will never know. Of course when we signed there was a bidding war going on from not only a lot of the American big recording companies including subsidiaries like Fueled by Ramen but also South Korean Companies as well. Spirit Records who won out in the end.

“Morning, Suzie,” greets Steve as we get in the dining room for breakfast. “Have a good sleep?”

“It was restful but Ang decided to try and get me up at 5. How was your sleep?” I reply.

“Good, so have you talked to Leo at all yesterday?”

“No, we don’t even have the same schedule and Friday is a very busy day for him with him being in football and all plus it is fall so he had a game to play. Besides he didn’t say he wanted to talk to me before yesterday so unless you have something else then I have no idea why you ask me why I talked to him yesterday.”

“I thought you wanted to talk to him.”

“I do but our schedule on Fridays doesn't make it happen since we have no classes together and his practice and game schedule makes it hard as well. Not to mention we have no classes together on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays this year at Newton’s Academy. You seriously read too much into things sometimes, Steve.”

“You deserve love and frankly after your last boyfriend my friends and I agree you need a better boyfriend and Leo fits that bill. Hell even Ryou believes it and we are pen pals. It is what the year 5004 and we are to be turning 16 on October 26 and by not most people in America has been married to the person they love especially a girl. The demonic and alien attacks demolished the human population and frankly the only redeeming thing right now most people in America see is your child. You know my wedding is around the corner and the rest of our siblings are married…”

“Stefano shut it, I’m not like everyone and frankly Sara and Sofia aren’t married yet.”

“Because they moved to Korea and have less pressure to get married and reproduce since they didn’t lose all of their population like America did. Hell Japan even being attacked by the aliens didn’t get decimated like America with the demonic attacks. Even Europe and the rest of Asia didn’t get as bad as the Americas. Human populations are down and needs to be brought back up to stability.”

“So now the Americas are in what the dark age where it was normal for girls and boys to be married young and have children at a very young age. I know what happened years ago but human population doesn’t need to get up to where it was before the decimation otherwise nothing will survive again.”

“I’m not saying that but we need a stable population before humans become extinct. We are recovering like the rest of the animals that were also affected so across the world people are marrying younger than before even if there is more pressure in America than anywhere else is. Hell I’m going to be married to Marisol Juárez in a month and I know Sara and Sofia are planning a wedding as well because they found a person they love.”

“So I’m the black sheep for not want to marry and now I’m getting flack for it? Please stop bringing up about me needing love and having to marry. I will marry on my own time, Stefano, nagging from everyone for me to get married is very annoying.”

“Fine, I’ll stop for now but you need to get a move on with your love life otherwise you will be too old to even find a husband. You will be nagged to death until you do get married and it will be better for your son if you do get married and soon.”

“Mamma, what’s marriage?” asks Angelo after hearing this argument which thankfully didn’t get to heated let alone no curse words and this is like his 10th time asking that question.

“Ang, marriage is when two people who love each other and commit themselves to be together forever in either a religious ceremony or a government approved way,” I reply. “There is normally an audience in attendance to witness it. The answer hasn’t changed since the last 9 times you have asked me that question.”

Breakfast goes by rather uneasily because of how much I’m being nagged to get married by either my siblings and trying to set up dates when they are in town or family members who always try to set me up on dates. They never go well ever. All what they are is a feeble attempt to find someone I could marry and either I get creped out by them or I can’t help but think of Leo. So yeah the dates never go on other than the 1st date. Also I don't deny I have feelings for Leo but he denies his feelings for me and probably isn't ready for a serious relationship yet and I'm not ready yet for one either. Steve, Leo, and I are hosts to angels that either were in a band together or engaged to be married at one point before my angel got kidnapped by Lucifer. Steve has a band member Stephanos, Leo holds my angel's fiancé Leonides, and I host Sousanna. It is only a coincidence that we have familiar names to each other.

“Sue, sorry about the conversation over breakfast,” apologizes Steve.

“Apology accepted, Steve,” I reply. “I know you guys are trying to look after me but it gets annoying at times and you have to realize that I’m just not ready yet to marry. Everyone knows that I have PTSD and residual schizophrenia and a slew of other neurological health problems that I would rather have my own say when I am ready not when everyone says I am. Besides, Angelo has plenty of male figures in his life that are like a father to him so why focus on me marrying right now. And it is there is consistency in his life before you say that.”

“It’s not really for his benefit but for yours really but he will get some benefit like having someone to really call dad. For you, it will mean more protection and someone to be there with you. If you haven’t noticed Leo protects you and gives all the affection you could want and you return it to him because of the angels in you two. I know you don’t deny your feelings for him but he is denying it and if you keep bringing something up with him it might happen sooner than later. That’s why you are single now because you don’t want to deny your feelings for him anymore but he is.”

“So what if I’m tired of denying my feelings for him but it is not very smart for me to make the 1st move since that will leave me unprotected and you are to turn after we are turned, correct? So how long would I have to wait until I have protection from demons? I’m not risking my life.”

“True and that is unknown because it was assumed in heaven you two would change together and not delay for very long which it seems you two are doing.”

“We are teens, he just turned 15 and we are about to turn 16 so I don’t consider it long. Is this because you will be moving out once you marry? If that is it doesn’t worry about me, the staff will make sure I’m protected that I don’t need a boyfriend around all the time.”

“Not exactly that, I just feel like either you will go over to his house a lot above the Angelic Cafe or he will come here a lot because you will get lonely. The staff may have some companionship but not enough to where it is informal and having someone who doesn’t always say Mistress Susanna. It would ease my mind a lot that you two were in a committed relationship instead of friends when that happens.”

“Legitimate concern but you know nothing will happen between us as friends. The worst thing that could happen is us falling asleep in the same bed not me getting pregnant.”

“That maybe but it could go farther than you think. Face it you two try not to go far when hanging out alone but that hardly stops you two. A hug can and will turn to kissing and sometimes a make out session that us normally broken because someone comes in the room. Also the make out sessions are becoming more frequent. I don't want you to get hurt.”

“I won't get hurt and besides you are moving to the house tomorrow before her to get it set up and what not. At least trust us that it won't go that far without some sort of commitment other than friendship or a breakup. We know our limits.”

“Uh huh, I’d believe it when I see it.”

I just roll my eyes at that but he leaves to see Marisol and frankly Leo texted me to come to his house for some reason. Not that I mind and my driver takes me since Steve can drive due to lowering the driving age to 14 across the country along with drinking age being 16 for the most part. Some parts it is as soon as you can see over the bars. Lowering the age of drinking was a bad idea in my opinion but it was done sometime after the decimation during the restoration so years before my birth. As for the driving it was more of a necessity considering now most teenagers at 14 are considered adult and can be emancipated with no courts just finding a job or their parents were dead. Because of mom and dad being dead, my siblings and I are emancipated once we reached 14 and no one has to really say anything to us. But most of us school age do go to school. We get to his parents’ house which is right above Angelic Café.

Angelic Café and the house is has white siding and golden yellow accents on the outside and a flower garden near the house but they try to keep it neat as not to deter customers away. Elisabeth owns and runs this place with some help from high school students and her daughters. To be honest it feels homier to me than my Uncle Lorenzo’s big restaurants in LA. I visit them a lot and both make sure I eat something when I’m there and on the house so here I always go in the house part even if it is open.

With that Angelo and I get in the house part since it is morning and I would rather see Leo now than see Elisabeth. Maurizio is at the dining table eating cereal when we come in and he just smiles at me. Thankfully he actually lets me eat when I want to eat than forcing it down my throat but he seems to be in a rush for today.

“Hi, Dr. Di Mercurio,” I greet and Ang waves.

“For the hundredth time, please call me Maurizio. I take it you ate before you came?”

“Yes, I didn’t get the text until our breakfast was done.”

“Ok, well Leo is in his room right now and he will either be down in a few minutes or you can go up to his room but I have to get ready for work.”

Maurizio is a scientist and frankly has a lot of research to do to help species get back to what they consider a stable and sustainable level. It doesn’t mean however he doesn’t work on his own things and one thing has me scared since it is for the government here and what he likes. He does leave and I really just head upstairs to see if he is decent which most of the time he will consider him decent but I don’t for just being friends. At Leo’s door I knock as always before Ang tries to barge in.

“You can come in,” answers Leo.

“You decent?” I reply. “Otherwise I'll be downstairs.”

“Yes, I'm decent, Suzie.”

I go in his room and as always he is shirtless.

“You said you were decent, so where is your shirt?”

“I’m not putting it on yet besides you have seen me half naked before and you have a son so I don’t see why you would be objecting to this. Besides I have major news.”

“What news?”

“It’s about dad’s work, I know he has left by now but I saw his list and there are a total of 11 humans for this government research and I still think he is trying to find more. From the partial section of the list that I saw, I could only make out two names on the list and the extensive research behind everyone. Not that dad needs a lot for the two he saw and probably is using this to his advantage.”

“Exactly what are you talking about and should my son hear it?”

“Angelo would figure it out within seconds so it is better he hears this as well. Anyways, our two names were down and I haven’t seen Angelo but that could be because he was too young. I only saw ages at the beginning and the youngest was in 5th grade about 9 and 10 years old. From what I gathered there are 2 elementary school students, 3 middle school students, and the remaining 6 high school students and only 2 boys out of the bunch. I’m just worried that this is going a little too far for him and hurrying the process since it seems haphazard to his picking.”

“What else did you see?”

“Compatibility stats”

“Something doesn’t seem right because he seems to be way ahead from what I heard when I’m here trying to talk to you and he is in the basement. I can’t help not to overhear because of my super hearing from my angel in me but still this isn’t something I should probably be hearing. The experiment has sensitive info that I shouldn’t be hearing at all.”

“I agree nor should I have seen but dad leaves them around with our names showing as if trying to hurrying us up to finally makes a decision about us. But I know you are being bombarded to date and get married soon.”

“Yes, and got into it with Steve at breakfast because of that.”

“I take it you 2 already ate then.”

“Yes we did before you called. Steve already went to Marisol to hang out with her for the day and I’m sure they are discussing how and when to move into their home. If you still need to eat, we can wait until you are finished before deciding what to do before going to the petting zoo.”

“Or we can go early to it,” inputs Ang. “But will I become this thing?”

“I hope not but from what it seems you are too young to so don’t stress about it and this should die down when you get older as well.”

I shoot Leo a look hoping he understands that now my son will have this worry on him. Even if he would figure it out in seconds being a nephilim but still I don’t think he needed that knowledge even if he understood it. Hell when news is on he will ask all these questions that we don’t even have the answers to since we weren’t there and have all the details. He thinks we should. Leo grabs cereal for himself and Angelo looks at me with a questioning face.

“Do I have nonno and nonna like other children?” he asks.

“In heaven you do,” I reply. “They died when I was young before you were born. If they had lived I’m sure they would love you.”

“What about angelic grandparents? I am a nephilim. They couldn’t have died.”

“No, at least to my knowledge they haven’t but I really haven’t seen my angelic parents before something happened thousands of years ago. I do know they live in heaven dad being the leader of the Lord’s army and mom a scientist studying animals.”

“What happened thousands of years ago?”

“Something you don’t need to hear right now other than I was kidnapped from heaven and overtime I came to reside in a female human host who happens to be your mother. If you still want to know when you are older and I think you are ready for it I will tell you.”

“Mamma, did you have a hard life? Is that why you have all those scars on your body and have bad days and dreams?”

“Yes, I have, especially in this host. As I said before if you want to know when you are older I am more than willing to tell you then but at 3 years old I do not want to tell you.”

Leo gives me a sympathetic look since he knows what happened but there is no way an impressionable 3 year old will know even if he wants to know. He knows when I’m sick and my PTSD and schizophrenia is acting up because it is hard to hide them from him and how fast my sickness progress. This though, this is a mix of easy and hard to hide from him but I am thankful he hasn’t asked about his father yet. After Leo finishes his breakfast, Elisabeth comes in and hugs me.

“Suzie, you need to eat,” is the first thing as always out of her mouth as her golden blonde hair is being tied up to work.

“I already ate a big breakfast before coming here,” I reply. “Mrs. Di Mercurio, if I continuously eat it won’t be good for me.”

“Elisabeth my dear, but are you sure I couldn’t make you something.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Mom, we have to get going,” replies Leo. “I have a few things to show them before the petting zoo anyways. We’ll be back for dinner, mom. But I would like to leave now.”

“Ok, you three have fun and if you need anything don’t hesitate to call or come back here.”

We leave after he gets a top on and the sun shines on Leo’s gorgeous naturally tanned olive skin tone and that dark brown curly hair of his. Not that his blue eyes don’t draw me in they do but it is better than mine. The scared golden chocolate brown skin and my black hardened obsidian eyes that rarely if ever goes back to a soft ebony black as once in my youth. I hate my scars with a passion but at least it is concentrated on my torso and upper thighs and arms so they are easy to cover with clothes. The only redeeming aspect of me is my hair, it is black with naturally accruing bright red highlight in my densely` packed curly coily* hair that right now curls at the shoulder. Also my hair feels and looks a lot healthier now than when I just got out from the abuse. I can’t say for anything else but I am getting there with what I have to work with and what I know will never get better. A lot of my mental and neurological problems are caused by a rather large section of my brain being dead making me really more angel than human since I should be dead or at least just a living vegetable since a demonic attack when I was 4 years old. As yes as an angel I have extended her natural life by years. In fact, if she receives one more deathly blow before she transforms, I will have either to transform her with no protection or let the host die not that letting the host die hasn’t been asked before.

“Suzie, everything alright?” inquires Leo.

“Yeah, everything is fine,” I reply. “Just got lost in my thoughts”

“Mamma was admiring your body,” interjects Ang.

“I see”

“So what are you showing us, papà?”

“I really don’t know, Ang, I just wanted to get away from the house and it was the only excuse I could come up with at that time. So do you two have any suggestions to see or do out here?”
“Wasn’t there a carnival along with the petting zoo? We could let my son take in a few rides and so forth before the scheduled time with the petting zoo,” I observe. “Our management set it up that we our sponsoring the petting zoo so until we do the public speech this afternoon and the photo op at the petting zoo it isn't open. Today is the 1st day for it and I believe the carnival just opened though I could be wrong. Not to mention Ang has been begging me to go to the carnival for the rides since he heard it was coming.”

“It probably won’t be open until another half an hour or so but we can wait at the park until then. Is that a new top by the way?”

“No, I had it since last summer and I’ve been wearing it a lot. I like the black detailed neckline on the beige cap sleeve top.”

I am wearing besides the top (polyvore) denim Bermuda shorts, pink converse, and a straw cowboy hat. I can live with this top showing my scars on the arm and it is tied low enough that you can’t see my stomach. Angelo as always is in a super hero shirt and shorts with his sneakers on hot days. Today has his blue and red Superman shirt. Today like today is a good day to be outside not too hot and not too cold and the sun shining. Leo has on some khaki cargo shorts and a plain white top which is mostly him when not in uniform for anything.

In the park we just go to the swings and so forth so Ang can play while we wait for the carnival to open up. There is a lot if kids here already with their parents so they are most likely waiting for it to open up as well. Leo stretches after sitting down and I really hope this is one day I can be without my assistant dog or Jasmine noticing I don’t have Rex with me.

“Where is Rex?” asks Leo after putting his arms around my shoulder.

“I didn’t bring him,” I reply. “I didn’t think I would need him and even if he would be good at the petting zoo with the other animals I didn’t want him to get over stimulated. Though I’m sure as soon as Jasmine realizes I left him there she will get him to me.”

“I thought you brought a cane if you didn’t want him and you don’t have that.”

“Didn’t feel like it though I should have brought one or the other until my physical therapist and neurologist says otherwise which I don’t think will happen. Both are saying that I can’t drive ever since I’m too much of a risk since my fainting spells can’t be controlled and they are still trying to figure out if I’m having seizures.”

“You should have brought something so no one would worry and besides your health is a major concern of everyone. I know this won’t initially put your health in danger but over time if you keep forgetting it or you think are better and don’t need them it possibly could and you no longer have them. It is your responsibility to always have your cane or Rex with you at all times. If anything were to happen to you without them in your presence would be very band I would make me feel guilty for not trying to protect you more.”

“It’s not your job to protect me, Leo. You aren’t my body guard and I don’t even have one hired. You are my friend not a hired help that should be worried about protecting me.”

“I feel the need to protect you which is why I said that and if you aren’t doing what is needed to protect yourself then yes I am going to feel like I didn’t do enough as a friend. I will contact Jasmine to bring Rex or the cane now if you don’t do it and tell her you forgot them. Never in your life have you been forgetful since coming out of the rehab center with Angelo. I understand this is your flub and not mine.”

“I will contact her since it is my responsibility not yours.”

Leo smiles and I see Jasmine out of the corner of my eye and has Rex with her so she did notice I left without either of them. When Jasmine comes up I stand up and greet her.

“Thanks, I was going to call you about either Rex or the cane,” I state.

“No problem,” she states. “It’s just not like you to not leave either one at the house so I figured you and Steve got into a little argument about you needing to marry before leaving instead of calming down before leaving. I know they’ve been getting on your case about it with Steve, Sara, and Sofia’s wedding coming up within months of each other and you still have yet to get an engagement ring. They are putting stress on you that you don’t need and frankly will make you forget things at times.”

“Yes, they have been getting on my nerves about that but I would rather marry in my own time than their time and be stuck in an abusive marriage. I just don’t think I’m ready for marriage right now.”
“Ok, I’ll be off and Leo, if she faints please call me because her temps been a little high lately when I check it while she is sleeping so I’m afraid she might be getting sick.”

“Will do, Jasmine”

She leaves and I sit back down but this time Leo has his head back.

“They need to back off on you to get you to marry now. This is unwanted stress and I know you said earlier that you got into it with Steve earlier but still if it is making you forgetful then they need to back off and let you deal with things. Granted having 3 siblings soon to be married and you are in all 3 weddings as a bridesmaid, taking care of your son, and doing things for the band isn’t stressful enough but talking about your marriage is unneeded stress. Hell my dad will add unneeded stress if this goes through but you need them breathing down your back to get married.”

“Leo, there is nothing you can do about them and I don’t want to go through the motions of pleasing them so they get off my back. They will know when I get engaged but it won't happen anytime soon.”

“Still they don’t need to keep pressuring you. Your health could take a turn from all this stress and it will be because that no one decided to let you go at your own pace. Obviously I can’t fix this but if it is getting this bad they at least I can give them a piece of my mind.”

“Please don’t do that.”

“Fine, on a different subject, I know the schizophrenia is getting worse with it acting up when you aren’t sick. Has your therapist and psychiatrist decided anything with medication?”

“Not yet, I’m still on a very low dose but they are talking about upping it from every other day to once a day. I hate my brain damage and they said as I age the schizophrenia will get worse and this is only an inclination. Thankfully it is the nonthreatening hallucinations and not the voices so that means my PTSD aren’t acting up as well.”

“So they need more observations before upping the medication?”

“Yes”

Leo smiles at me and when the carnival opens Ang and Leo goes on rides while I stay off because of my brain injury and me being paranoid. So I just watch them go on rides and so forth while I see the workers set up for the petting zoo and many signs for Angelic Café along with my band members and their partners or spouses coming in. Kai and his wife Malia, Paul and his partner Eli, André with Ziva, and Viola with her husband Karim all come before Steve and Marisol comes but they are taking in other parts it is just that we are near the entrance. After a while Viola and her husband comes up and Viola is in a white spaghetti strapped summer dress (polyvore) with an embroidered flower top in fuchsia and yellow tones and a lace skirt that falls to her knees. She also has on a white floppy hat and black studded strap sandal.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” she asks.

“Good,” I reply. “How have you been?”

“Alright, but Karim and his family is annoyed that I haven’t gotten pregnant yet.”

“You should be pregnant it has been a year and half since we got married,” replies Karim. “This band shouldn’t take priority over our family. We married later than usual because we dated for a long time to get our parents used to each other before they would let us marry even if you imprinted on me because you are a nephilim.”

“Our family is my top priority and the band second but me getting pregnant is a statistic game. It may not be my time yet to get pregnant and frankly I’m getting tired of trying right now so I would rather have sex for intimacy and if a pregnancy happens it happens and not being stressed out with all this charting. Also I believe the stress from charting is causing it. Plus it has only been 3 months since we really started trying.”

“It doesn’t seem like it. Kai has a child on the way with Malia, André and Ziva just had a girl, and Paul and Eli are trying adoption so they can have a child but they are at the mercy of the biological parents. We don't have that problem nor are the others feeling the pressure to get pregnant because the already are or have a child."

“Back off would ya, Karim. It will happen when it happens so don't rush us having children when it doesn't seem to be the right time.”

“Fine”

“And thank you for not brining Sue into this.”

“I wasn’t going to since I know she isn’t fully ready for marriage or anything yet besides the band and her son. Healing has to be done before it even goes that far with her. Her family thinks she is ready when she knows she isn’t along with most of the band. I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes if I was a girl and this does happen to more than her so I know how this affects families it is just her family didn’t receive it until she came. You know I come from a poor neighborhood and what she has been through is what most girls there go through. Boys wanting power and children, so they take it out on the girls. It is nice that they finally have a voice now and hopefully it ends soon.”

“So my family got what it deserved with me?” I ask.

“No, it’s not that and I know the Rizzo family has done things for the areas so it wouldn’t be prevalent but for a rich or even middle class family to go through what you did is unheard of. It seems the dead poor and demonic prone places only go through what you do even if yours were your half siblings. There could be more in the rich and middle class but it is more hidden and not well known about though either but yours is the my 1st known rich person to go through what you have gone through. I seriously didn’t mean like you took it.”

“It is only publicized for the poor and demonic areas than the middle and upper class because there isn’t much publicity since it is very much a family member or someone they trust doing it and not what they qualify as strangers. It is just as prevalent and as long it isn’t a family member they normally marry their rapist. It is not a kidnapping base like the poorer but it still goes on for years sometimes until death of one of the people. Mine was called a legal kidnapping since the government didn’t do their job correctly; when dad died I was to go with Mario and not to that Aunt and Uncle. Mario and my family fought to get me back and to correct what the legal system did to the family.”

“How did you get those stats? I’ve been looking everywhere and can’t find them and what I do find is much different that the middle class and upper class have very little.”

“The quiet stats, your chip stores everything and only lawyers or government people can get them and basically when I thought I was the only one going through this gave me the stats. She even said with the chip storing everything the middle and upper class victims can easily leave the abusers but they don’t. Also she said they had more than enough before my dad’s death to convict them so none of this would happen. He tried to press charges so many times before then but the police didn’t believe him.”

“So they aren’t released to the public?”

“No, and I can’t give it to anyone. The monitors that run the chips make the stats and update the stats as soon as it happens so even then it could have change. I only have the stats for then and not a current one. Thankfully lawyers can give stats out to people who are doing research or feel the person needs a little help with it while government workers can’t. And it is heavily monitored.”

“That is what I am afraid of because I would try to hack if I could and I don’t want to go in jail.”

“Is there a reason you want the stats?”

“School work really and to create a petition to start the process of this actually being taken seriously since it seems to have lacked a lot especially if they didn’t do anything to help you. And I don’t have the money to pay a lawyer to get this for me. Did it cost you anything?”

“Only for me to receive it and even then the estate paid for it but it wasn’t much around $10 is what my lawyer said and she said that for this the service of the lawyer is free especially for school work. Now she did say if I wanted to start a petition that she better be in on it and that would cost something because it would take up her time and to get it legalized properly. The company and I have done one thing with the stats and that is to set up the Rose Charity Foundation which the only time we used the lawyer to get things legalized and it a non-profit organization. As of right now we aren’t petitioning and trying to set up domestic abuse houses in areas that it is needed. It is still fairy new charity and it needs a lot of fundraising to do.”

“Didn’t you just founded it?” asks Viola.

“Yes, well the company did from what money was collected from dad’s fans and what charity events we could do to actually get the money. We finally had the money to start the parent charity for the houses. Getting money for the houses is another thing and a lot is going to be more donations and getting workers involved as well. We are even doing a booth at the carnival to get money for it but I don’t run this charity my legal guardians do. It was actually started while I was in the coma in the hospital so it isn’t mine but rather the spokesperson for it.”

“Sounds legit, but we should be headed to the petting zoo soon so we can do the interview and play with the animals in there with our families.”

“I suppose you are right about that. It is getting close to time and the press is lining up,” I reply. “I just wish this wasn’t supposed to be in the press.”

Why there is press here I have no fucking clue since is just a petting zoo even if we are sponsoring the petting zoo I still see no reason the press needs to be here. Hell most things we sponsor there is no need to have press since it isn't a big event and big events is rare that we sponsor alone or rather just a guest of the big event. It seems after the alien and demonic attacks every little thing for celebrities to sponsor to get media attention not just my band or me. It is weird. After Ang is done with the ride the other members of the band gets up here. Leo doesn’t go where the media is but rather with the public as they give us a short interview before we can pet the animals. The questions were thankfully about what the petting zoo itself and if we had any interest in animals. Steve and I have been getting sick on questions on the death of our father and how we handled each other along with them asking tons of questions of the 8 years I was abused. So this interview is quite refreshing for once. Finally after all the photos are taken and the questions done, the petting zoo is open to the public.

Leo comes by me after the paparazzi are long gone so they don't make news out of nothing which they will and have tried several times with Leo and me. It is annoying. This is also the time that Ang is done at the petting zoo and he wants to go on more rides. Directing him to more of the kid friendly rides that he can go alone, Leo and I just walk in silence beside each other. I hate that he is most likely denying his feelings towards me and I'm trying nit even if I do at points.

“Why can’t he just leave me alone?” mumbles Leo and I don’t notice anything different.

“Who won’t leave you alone, Leo,” I ask since he forgets I can hear him. “I don’t see anything different from here and there are many people here to even single out a person.

“My cousin, Eric Haugen, I’ve been seeing him out of the corner of my eye off and on and you know him and I don’t get along very well. It seems he may be stalking us.”

“He has a right to be here, it’s not like he is my maternal half siblings who have to obey the law even if they think are above it being cambions. Let it be, I’m sure Eric doesn’t mean no harm. And I’m sure he is taking in sights so which is why you are seeing him out the corner of your eye.”

“He’s obsessed with you; you know that so what makes you think he won’t try something with you?”

“Leo, chill out and do you really think he will try to do what you think he will do to me? He’s not dumb and will probably figure out if he did try that you would kill him or maim him so I don’t think he would. Besides I don’t have any interest in him which will keep him at bay. But he hasn’t asked me out or anything so you can chill.”

“Why are you so…?”

“Leo, he hasn’t done anything to shake your trust nor has he done any harm with me so why shouldn’t I give him the benefit of the doubt. Now if he said anything to you that would make you believe differently than that is different. Seriously, Leo, you jump to conclusions about every guy since I broke up with Dominic Kokinos 3 months ago since he was trying to control me again. You know full well that I’m not fully ready to date yet again and frankly I don’t know when I will be.”

“Would you pass by love while in this area that was true?”

“No, I’m just not actively looking and I might have to think about it for a while depending on the person. A person will not even take me a second to make that decision others would be a long drawn out process that I think it might just frighten others away.”

“And who might that person be?”

“Take 3 guesses and the first 3 don’t count. Here are a few hints, he is a friend of mine since I can remember, he has always been there for me, and I don’t try and hide my feelings for him but he does.”

“And why don’t you make the 1st move?”

“Because I might turn into an angel with no protection if he doesn’t feel the same way for me and the book that I have says to let him make the 1st move. It’s not that I wouldn’t love making the 1st move but I don’t know how it is possible for me to do that and be safe at the same time. It’s not that I’m not strong but I am physically damaged from what happened in my childhood making me weak before the turning is complete. Even then I am still considered the weakest physically of all the archangels and my voice draws people in. Lucifer and his followers will find me in seconds and I may not live any longer.”

Leo just looks at me and I know he realizes that I am talking about him and he knows the implications what I am talking about. Sure he may be silent but there is no way he can figure out that isn’t him that I’m talking about. Also how there is very little reward for me to turn before he does. Once the latest ride is over for Ang we decide it is probably good to get something to eat since it is past lunch time for us normally since it is 2pm and we eat lunch around 12:30-1. I’m starting to feel faint and vaguely feel what feels like an earthquake. Also I have this dream of some type of swan and cat and my human host, who is stuck permanently at 4 in the mind, grabs the cat bringing it in and the swan walking in me.

♥♪♫♥Leo’s POV♥♫♪♥

I am barely able to catch Susanna when she starts to faint when dad’s earthquake is happening. Blacking out for a few minutes I see a lion, a swan, my angel, and I separating. The lion goes for me while the swan goes for my angel, Leonides. I quickly regain conscious and the earthquake thankfully has stopped and Ang is still standing and keeping Rex up. Susanna unfortunately has fully fainted and out cold for a while and I’m sure the earthquake didn’t help much. I also see a tear in the inner upper thigh on her shorts where a scar is and see a faint mark and a similar tear on the outside of my upper to middle thigh on my baggy shorts. Dad will hear about this when I see him next and I know dad left before I got down.

“Do you want your cousin to win her heart?” asks Leonides in my head. “I keep telling you and she keeps reminding you that she cannot start this change. If this project makes it so you have a fire under your but then so be it because it isn’t just I that is in love with her because she has my fiancée but you love her as well. So act upon it. Sousanna is acting upon it as much as she can and you don’t want to lose her.”

“Leonides and what will you exactly do if I don’t act right away? She needs to heal and you heard her she doesn’t feel like she isn’t ready for a relationship yet considering what she went through so it is best to follow her lead.”

“She said she is not actively pursuing a relationship but if you want it then she will not knock and will go along with it. You only heard what you wanted to hear! For goodness sake, don’t let another year pass without her in her state, each year her health decreases and sooner or later you know seizures will come sooner or later with her and that maybe the deciding factor in what happens in her life. The mental problems are getting worse and along with neurological problems since turning into a wolf last year because of her being of Quileute decedent. You know that within a year of that happening things between you two will be heating up.”

“I know what I was told by my angelic father and Uriel and how things seem to be progressing to a worse state. But turning her to an angel won’t help!”

“Think again, it will, we aren’t fully capable of using all of our powers only ones to enhance and save the true-host or last host’s life and that what Sousanna did with Susanna several time so she would be alive today. Any more help to keep her alive and in decent condition will cause the change to angel before anyone is ready. That is why her health has started to deteriorate because within the law she cannot make any changes to heal the brain completely without turning her. She will get into a more stable position once she does change.”

“Just shut up for once about this for one second! Susanna needs to be put on something soft!”

“Fine, but we will discuss this later before the sun sets.”

We get back to the house and surprisingly dad is back and in the kitchen getting something to eat.

“Where are you two’s mark? I need to see them,” he asks with paper and pen in hand.

“Aren’t you to be working?” I reply curtly and getting an unconscious Susanna closer to my body. “And as for the marks why do you need to see them? You are obsessed with his because of Uncle Hayato Shirogane when he started this as his own work and Ryou Shirogane finished it a couple months ago.”

“I need to document them is the main reason and their location. I am a scientist for the government and there are 8 others doing this exact experiment. And all of the towns have over or at 10 people for compatibilities nearly doubling what Ryou created in Tokyo. For the whole on our end are around 100 people in the experiment. You two would have been infused if you guys even if you two were dating. I only left you two’s out to see in hopes of how many will be infused in you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your angel and you alone along with Susanna have two different compatibilities and yours was the only names I knew at that time. The rest had numbers and gender. You will have 9 more to find though one should be easy enough to find once Susanna regains consciousness. Though it seems across the board the majority of the group is mostly females with males sprinkled in here and there.”

“What are the implications that I do not let you get the info you need?”

“Then you are holding up research and I will not let that happen because the government needs them and they gave us the permission to use the experiments as teams to fight the demons and aliens off. Which I will form and one of you will be the leader if not co-leaders together. From my hypothesis with you two, I think you two will have the same mark and in the same location on the thigh other than inner or outer thigh so they’d match up with each other.”

I let him note things before putting Susanna in my bed and putting a cover over her before getting Ang and I lunch. At that dad sits down and waits until Ang goes for a nap himself after lunch.

“So who are the others? And do we need to find them?” I inquire.

“These are the names that I got once the DNA was sent out,” replies dad. “If you and Susanna can find them for me it will be help since I do need to get things documented. Oh and I already contacted Jasmine and Dr. Cullen about Susanna’s condition when you were putting her in bed after looking at her chip. Jasmine will be here with pajamas, even if she isn’t running a fever now it will probably be the best she and Angelo stay the night in case she does develop one during the rest of the day. To say the least, I didn’t want to inject her because of her health but the government wouldn’t have it.”

“Anything else that I need to know or rather you want me to know?”

“One of Susanna’s, yours, and two other people’s DNA compatibilities may not be completely stable and it was decided to make them stable to see if we can inject them with another animal DNA. You have the West African Lion and the Mute Swan, there is another big cat the Jaguar, and they were stable that we probably didn’t need them and nothing will come of it but the smaller cats didn’t have the same stability. The Bolivian Andes Pampas Cat, which Susanna has with the Trumpeter Swan, and the Jungle Cat were incredibly unstable even after attempts to make them stable. Susanna and the other one might turn into a cat one day because of that. But I will tell her. Another thing, this was what Ryou Shirogane did and gave to the US government when he was done and we tweaked it a bit so the DNA remains merged until death not until the enemies are defeated. We will be working on more recruits but it will be in other cities but it won’t be for a while because the data from the ones we have now.”

“There is no Bolivian Andes Pampas Cat or at least that name it is just a subspecies of the Pampas Cat from the Andes in Bolivia and it doesn’t have a real life name other than the scientific name of Leopardus pajeros steinbachi. As for the instability, I guess we will have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t happen and what can be improved. I will let you tell her but I will also be in the room with her when you tell her. Though this is highly unethical what has happened it doesn’t seem to be a way to stop it from happening.”

I nod my head and go check on Susanna.

♥♪♫♥Susanna’s POV♥♫♪♥

After a while I wake up in Leo’s room severely confused.

“Suzie, you alright?” asks Sousanna in my head and she has taken all over my body since I should have died when I was 4.

“Yeah,” replies the 4 year old. “What happened? Can I keep the cat?”

“An earthquake happened nothing to be worried about ok? And yes you can keep the cat, in fact why don’t we name the cat? How does that sound?”

“Good, what about Shiro or Bianca?”

“I like Shiro.”

“Shiro Casper?”

“The name can be Shiro Casper.”

“When can I play with Leo?”

“I suspect in a bit. Do you want me to decide we can date him?”

“What’s a date? Does that mean I can play with him every day? If so, of course”

“Yes, that means playing with each other every day or close to it and someone to love us and protect us. Dating is going out with another person that hopefully leads to marriage.”

“Okay, why did ah we date that dude? You didn't ask me then so why now?”

“If I recall correctly you lead that simply being that he was hot and I just went with it while monitoring the situation. You didn’t see it as dating rather hanging out even if it was dating but you know I had to make the breakup decision. Why have you forgotten his name?”

“Bad memory”

“Oh right, the brain damage really got to your short term memory.”

I wish I could physically hug my host but there is no way I can since she is nothing more than a ghost is that I won’t let pass on. Thankfully when I sit up after the inward conversation I don’t feel faint so most likely I’m not sick. The door opens and it is Leo coming and he seems to be relieved.

“What exactly happened during the earthquake?” I ask. “Please don’t tell me that hallucination of a swan and a cat coming into me actually happened? If so, what would make your dad do that today?”
“Dad’s experiment and he said he will tell you more about it. As for why today, your guess is as good as mine is. How are you feeling? You fainted hard and I don’t know if the earthquake helped it along or not and you were out for a half an hour,” replies Leo

“I’m fine, I’m not dizzy nor does anything that would make me suspect that I was sick. Sorry for…”

“Don’t say it, and you didn’t scare me. You always try to say it and it is annoying when you did nothing wrong and you need to get it out of your head that everything is your fault. You take blame for other people especially in projects for school when you were the best and the others didn’t pull their own weight. Your health problems you don’t need to be sorry for whatsoever. They are a part of you, there is nothing you can do to make them go away, and certainly you don’t need to apologize when the health problems act up every single time. I love you but I hate that you have to think that everything is your fault because of them. I hate what they did to you. What came from the abuse isn’t the girl that once was there before and I know you can’t go back to that time but I would love glimpses of that girl.”

“What are getting at?”

“That you are more insecure with yourself than self-confident and before that you won’t start a garage band and not try to make it like you did right after. I get it you still need to heal and there are some qualities that will never go away like being very wary of trusting people but hopefully there will be a time will you won’t be as insecure with yourself and genuinely happy. Faking to be happy isn’t something one should do.”

“I’m not faking being happy, Leo.”

“Well not all the time I know that much but times when you are stressed and so forth that you keep things in isn’t helping. I can see putting a front for your fans when you encounter them or a band event is planned but not around people who love you. I love you and I don’t like seeing you in this state physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know it is harder for you because you live it but if you don’t tell us anything and keep it inside how are we to even help you recover.”

I just nod my head and get up from the bed since I am trying but I don’t think it is anyone else’s responsibility to let me get better. Sure if I want their help here and there is fine but why should they take over when I am the one who needs this and needs to help her first. Leo and others are scared for me that I might revert to trying to kill myself when I just got out of the rehabilitation home and tried to commit suicide. It isn’t that bad and hasn’t been that bad for 2 years.

Dr. Di Mercurio is in the living room and looks like writing on a piece of paper. I sit at the opposite of him and a small red and black furry robot with white angel wings and black cat ears pops at me.
“You can have the robot,” he states. “I have synced it up with your chip, US1001 the government made 1st since at that time it was made I already identified a leader and the government built it to what your mew name would be. US1001 will be identify aliens, demons, and angels along with monitoring your health problems and when I said your name they worked on it so it can be linked up but I had to finalize it. The government is still monitoring you to make sure you are safe.”

“I see, so what happened at the festival?”

“The scientist in the USA got the ok to go ahead and do the experiment and with me being in the Pacific Time zone was the last one to do it today. The others are already done and most likely starting to get their data set up and in a way that if I didn’t have the two of you will gone that way. They are advertising the names and so forth on line and on TV for the leaders. You two are co-leaders in this but Susanna, you are the main leader. No one else has two leaders but then again as far as I know no one else a host to angels. I told Leo before and I will tell you know that you have the Trumpeter Swan and Bolivian Andes Pampas Cat in you and he has the Mute Swan and the West African Lion.”

“Why do we have two?”

“You two were compatible to have two different animal DNA because of being a host to an angel so one is the human counterpart and the other is the angelic counterpart. Also we are trying to get the cat DNA stable. It isn’t very stable and no matter what work we did we couldn’t exactly stable so you might change into a cat over time. The rest of the animal DNA is very stable and it seems the big cats are stable as well.”

“I see, is there others?”

“Yes, 9 others. Here is the list of people you need to find though one should be easy enough. And in America each city almost doubled Ryou Shirogane’s mew’s since they just got 6 with DNA and 1 with just what they call mew aqua so we are searching what it is actually while we see how this is going.”

“Will there be more cities?”

“Yes, once we get the data from here and when the government okays it and tells us the cities. Though I wished for a greater variety like the other cities but I can only do what they are compatible with for animals.”

“You said the cat DNA is unstable, I take it that means there is a chance I might turn into a cat or self-combust?”

“Not the self-combust part but rather you might turn into a cat. Though there is a slight chance that all might but the cat is more prone to it. But we are expecting at least for everyone’s animal trait to take over after a while and it will be interesting with your Quileute decent how things will come out considering you have changed into a wolf before this.”

“Why don’t you expect others not to turn?”

“Because how stable they are and if they want to turn then they will find a way to but not involuntarily turn which is what I am referring to.”

“I have no more questions on this for now. Is my son alight? He wasn’t hurt was he?”

“He’s fine, and is taking a nap, I just put him down before my dad and I talked and he hasn’t woken up yet,” replies Leo.

“And don’t worry he isn’t compatible with an animal so he isn’t even on the list.”

“I still have to leave him when I fight and who is to protect him then because they might figure out that I have a son and he is alone? Thelma can only do so much, I don’t want my son to be targeted, and certainly demons will after a while. He cannot protect himself.”

“Then you’ll have hire bodyguards for your family but I’m sure we can find away so they don’t go after him. I know you have the money for bodyguards but have yet to hire any and it has been advised you hire one so you don’t get kidnapped and raped again.”
Yes of course that has been said before but it has never been a priority of mine so I guess I have to start the hiring process. It is then the small robot clicks.

“Sent add for approval to the head of Rizzo Entertainment,” it adds. “I will update if it is approved or not. Safety is the most important for Ms. Susanna Rizzo and the government doesn’t want to lose her nor does her family.”

“You mean my brother, Mario, will get this add?” I inquire.

“Yes”
“Oh this is just great, he will approve of it if it had weird things in it because it is looking for a bodyguard for me. Hopefully he looks at it carefully.”

“He has to look at it because I also asked for a review before sending it out.”

Well I guess that is that but he will have to get time for it since adds aren’t his area and may just send it off to HR but it is me so I have my doubts he would just send it off to the HR. Soon after this discussion the doorbell rings and Maurizio gets it and leads in Jasmine Darzi, my live in nurse. She has three sets of pajamas with her, Angelo’s, hers, and mine. It means I am staying the night because I fainted.

“Jasmine, are you staying over?” I inquire. “You normally don’t.”

“True but with this being with animal DNA injected in you, I want to take precautions because you could get sick and be out of commission for a couple of days so it is best to take as many precautions as we can. If you don’t get sick then it is a bonus but I’m afraid of a bad reaction,” she replies.

Yep, any shot for me makes her monitor me like a hawk for a while which is normally until the side effect timeline is gone. This, though, it might be a few weeks before she feels like she doesn’t have to watch me like a hawk. Thankfully her, Thelma, the butler, and a few maids that we have along with the weekly outside worker are hired by the Rizzo Entertainment and not the government. It seems that the Rizzo Entertainment made a deal and got workers in time that the government didn’t otherwise there might be some very strict things going on. The only thing they didn’t include in that time line was bodyguards but it was only a suggestion.

The rest of the day goes okay with me fainting earlier in the day. Dr. Di Mercurio did help us to transform into our news and see what we looked like. I'm new cherry which was more than appropriate considering how much I eat cherries when they are in season. This red and black uniform had a sweetheart neckline that was strap less from the body suit, black shorts with these red ruffle skirt type thing attached to it not to mention two small black garters on both of my legs that attack to the shorts. There are long red gloves with stars on them, knee high red and black boots, and a choker with a red heart. My physical appearance didn’t change much other than I have dark red cat years, tail, and large angel wings. Leo, aka mew bacon, has a blue and white pants and tank top with black boots. But he does have two straps on his upper arms. His mew name is rather hilarious even if he loves bacon but one time he added a gurgling sound like Homer Simpson.

Night comes and I’m in my red silk (polyvore) summer pajamas, grey slippers and house coat that Jasmine has getting ready for bed. The fluffy robot is flying around since Angelo is in bed and he has yet to say anything about the add, then again Mario was most likely out for the day. I haven’t named it yet and Angelo couldn’t come up with a name when I asked. Not to mention Leo said I have to name it since it is mine not his. For some reason I’m thinking of Ancient Egypt names since I am obsessed with them and worshiped cats.

“Ebio?” I ask.

“No, they programmed me as a male so it has to be a male’s name. My creator made the robot opposite sex of the leader,” he replies. “Sorry, I should have told you earlier.”

“Got it, Rashidi? How about that?”

“I like, Rashidi, but what does it mean?”

“It is Ancient Egyptian for wise.”

“I love it and the meaning. Rashidi the wise”

I finish brushing my teeth and check on Ang before going to the only other open bed in Leo’s room since his sisters for now are in their room, Jasmine and Angelo are bunking together and Leo wouldn’t let Angelo, Jasmine, and I bunking together when Angelo and I can fit in the same bed. Rashidi shrinks himself and I get in his room since I used the bathroom by Angelo and the girls room instead of Leo’s bathroom to let Angelo have it. Leo comes in and sees me on the other bed.

“You aren’t sleeping in that bed,” he states.

“And why not?” I reply. “Your twin bed cannot fit both of us so I have to take this bed. I’m 6’0” and your what around 6’5” right now. Exactly how we are to fit in an xl-twin bed together?”

“We fit in it earlier on our sides. As for why you aren’t sleeping in this bed is because I’m afraid something might happen and not with the DNA injection. I want you to be protected.”

“And I can’t be in this bed? Yes we have slept in your bed before but I’m getting uncomfortable in it with both of us in it at once. I’d rather have a comfortable and a restful sleep than an uncomfortable and waking up several times to get comfortable again. Besides you are in the room so I see no reason why you can’t protect me from your bed.”

“I would feel better if you were in my bed instead of this bed. I know a restful night sleep is important but I don’t think I would be able to sleep at all tonight if we were separated. I know I normally ask if we want to share a bed and so do you but I don’t feel like there was much of an option, sorry. And yes there are reasons I am like this, I was watching the news when you were putting Ang to bed and they said there was a demonic attack after the earthquake near your mansion. No one was hurt or died but they attacked the ground for some reason and I’m afraid that they may be on to you.”

I sigh, unfortunately this is true and Jasmine told me about it earlier when we got alone. While she doesn’t know if they are looking for me or found something of interest in the ground, she does feel right now my safety maybe compromised for a while. Besides that Leo never does this even worried about my safety so something has to be up and it might be Leonides coming out to make sure I’m safe. I get in the bed with him, I have to lay on top of him to get comfortable, and I know over time we will navigate to our sides.