Life as a college student was vastly different from the years passed in high school. Throughout the entire first year, Rebecca had been able to keep to herself and avoid drawing in unwanted attention. It had been easy to convince her parents to pay a small apartment for her outside the campus, she'd only have to speak of how the other girls in the dorm might influence her the wrong way and how she wanted to focus on her studies...of course, living in a different city, they couldn't just up and visit her every day as they probably wished they could.

As long as she kept her grades in top notch, which really wasn't so hard given she had very little else to do except focus on her school work, Rebecca could keep enjoying her freedom for as long as she desired. It was a new found feeling, to wake up whenever she wanted, eat whatever she wanted, do however she pleased...for someone who had lived the grand majority of their lives constrained by rules and oppressive people, she finally felt free.

She hadn't even gone to church in ages.

That, of course, Rebecca kept a secret from her parents. That was another thing. In the past year, the number of secrets growing between her and the world around her kept growing exponentially. She didn't mind though, it's not as if they were bad secrets. Becca was fairly sure that, by today's standards, she was considered a good girl.

On campus, she barely knew or spoke to anyone - even her teachers, - but she didn't feel the least bit lonely. There was only one friend in this entire world that she needed.

A yawn broke through her lazy smile as the girl's hands crawled from under the blankets to reach for the phone on her nightstand. A quick few taps into it she sat up, eyes gliding through the screen as she re-read last night's conversation.

Cyrus was someone she'd met by chance over the internet a couple of years into high school. A righteous person, honest with a genuine kindness to him that's rarely seen nowadays. He lived in a different state so they'd never had the chance to meet in person...which wasn't a bad thing in Rebecca's eyes, deeply afraid as she was that he'd turn on her as soon as he got to see how gloomy she truly was in real life. Instead, she consoled herself in the fact that there was an ever present kind soul in her life, always there, always ready to listen whenever she needed to speak.

A small smile on her lips, Becca tapped in a quick good morning and got up to face the day ahead.

Location: Florida
Time: 7:12 AM

"As usual, please make sure not to water them too much," the glasses-wearing young man named Kyle Drake spoke to the pony-tail haired woman. He handed her a dirt-filled flower pot containing thin, sky-blue flower petals. They were known as 'Neverland' Agapanthus. The woman within the flower shop gratefully accepted the pot with a smile, "Thanks Kyle, you've been giving us so many flowers. Beautiful ones at that. Do you really not need any money?" she questioned with a awkward gaze at the feeling of guilt she was feeling for getting something for free.

"Please, Ms.Sanders, I really don't need any payment. I give these out on my own accord in order to brighten this community up some more," he returned a smile of his own with a small chuckle beforehand. The gentle-appearing man had come here often despite not working here. He felt that not only would sending his own homegrown flowers to this shop(known as "The Daisys"), would help spread out and find more people to give to, but also help the business as well. It didn't hurt also that the store owner happened to be quite cute to him.

"So just doing it out of the kindness of your heart huh? Well it wouldn't be far-fetched for someone to think that you were planning something nefarious with handing these flowers out and all," she had obviously said it teasingly as a joke but a switch seemed to flick in Kyle's head as his eyes became more intense. With the tip of his finger, he adjusted the bridge of the pair of glasses on his nose. "That would very well be possible for someone to do. Five years ago on March 20th, an elderly man was cheated on by his long wedded wife with a much younger man. In order to get revenge, the culprit pulled quite a clever trick by sending the younger man an anonymous gift on his birthday. That gift was a bouquet of flowers laced with very thin poisonous dust that could only be inhaled when your nose is very close. Unfortunately for him, the person he actually ended up killing wa-" Before he could finish, Kyle stopped himself once he realized how enveloped he was in the story and also how awed the woman in front of him was.

"My apologies, that's not the kind of talk that should be in a place like this," In a look of shame, he slightly tilted his head down as he had made a grave mistake. "No, it's fine, actually-" Before she could finish, Kyle turned his back to her and began to exit the small shop.

"I'll be leaving now, excuse me" As if he didn't want the conversation to go on any further, Kyle had almost seemed to be powerwalking out. He clicked his tongue in frustration of once again dredging up the past he want to leave behind. It was not that it was a shameful or embarrassing past, rather a painful one instead. He used his key and entered the blue compact car that belonged to him. In the reflection of his side mirror was the worried look of the store owner, named Jessica Sanders. Not wanting to be a bother any further, Kyle immediately drove without looking back and swiftly exited the parking lot.

The small rosary cross dangling from his front view mirror, swayed heavily but he did not pay it any mind. He sighed and decided to turn his radio on an attempt to distract himself. It was set to the regular news station. The noise of the broadcast filled the car as he drove down the lane at the posted speed limit. "YES THAT IS CORRECT JUST AS YOU HEARD, THE SUBWAY ROBBER AND MURDERER WAS APPREHENDED EARLIER THIS MORNING THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THE POLICE AND DETECTIVE JOSHUA DRAKE. ONCE AGAIN ADDING ANOTHER TO HIS LONG LIST OF SOLVED CASES-" before the full sentence could be finished, Kyle immediately shut it off in a huff. The stressed expression he had on was now even rougher. This became even worse once he found himself in a long line of traffic........ Despite the long string of unfortunate circumstances, the upright youth could only give out a small chuckle at the comical happenings.

Amidst the rowdy sounds of people yelling and horns honking outside, Kyle simply took out his cellphone. He wasn't the best when it came to electronics but was capable enough to use it in order to communicate online with someone. That 'someone', was an online friend he had made several years ago. Her name was Duchess, a timid at first but eccentric person that was able to calm his nerves. From what he had unintentionally deduced, she didn't think much of herself, so this had often gotten to where Kyle would find a way to lift up her spirits, which would in affect lift up his own spirits.

He had found a message that read 'Good Morning,'. It was that sort of incredibly small and casual act that brought him into the present.

Cyrus: "Good morning to you as well. I hope your day isn't as awkward as mine."

Joshua Hawkins was the single familiar face in the campus that Becca knew from high school. A giant that towered over her, as dense in mass as he was in smarts. The only reason he had gotten into Columbus was through an athletic scholarship provided after he tore his way into victory in the football team of their previously unheard of little school. He had been content to ignore her existence and she had been content to ignore his, a telepathic mutual agreement that neither wanted to be associated with the other.

Not that he was on her mind. Far from it. Let the sleeping dogs lie they say.



Sitting on an isolated table in the campus' library, Becca had just sent the message and was about to write a follow up when a hand clasped around her shoulder, the grip too strong for comfort. Looking up, she was startled to find none other than Joshua himself grinning down at her. Her hands shook as she squeezed her phone between them. What was he doing here?

"Becca!" Voice too loud for the place they were in but he didn't seem to mind the least, Joshua dropped down onto the chair next to her. "Been ages since I last seen ya."

Rebecca tasted something sour in her mouth as, inside, anger and fear fought for the chance to act. Ages, indeed. Last time they'd been in each other's presence he was laughing while his friends shoved her inside a trash container and forced her to stay inside until she threw up. Her eyes narrowed on him but Joshua only smiled back, humming. "Still the little genius, huh?"

His eyes roamed the papers sprawled on the table with a glint behind them. Rebecca's hands stumbled upon each other as she rushed to collect everything into a pile she could run away with but Joshua's arm slid around her shoulders and kept her in place, his face so close she could smell his breath - a weird mix of peppermint and lingering traces of alcohol. Her skin turned green. "Since you like it so much, how about you help me with mine?"

Almost as soon as he was done speaking, she got up and shoved him away all in one motion, her chair crashing down with the sudden movement. Her entire body shook as her eyes stared at the floor, trying to find something - anything - that would give her strength. As she was about to give up, her phone gave her hand a small buzz and she looked at it like a blind man looks at the sun the first time he sees. If Cyrus was here, he'd tell her to stand up. To be strong.

Hands clenched, Rebecca looked Joshua dead in the eye. "....n....n-no!"

His eyebrows lifted in mock shock but his grin didn't falter. Still, Rebecca didn't allow him room to speak. "I-in other wo-words, you're too st-stup-pid to do your own ho-homework."

She knew she had struck a chord when anger flashed in his eyes and he got up, towering above her with menace. He reached forward but she slapped his hand away before it could reach her.

"I AM NOT YOUR SLAVE!" Her voice carried through the library and drew the attention of students and teachers alike, successfully putting Joshua into a corner. He probably didn't want people to know he needed help with his grades, image to maintain and all. He took a look at their surroundings and visibly forced himself to relax. After a few seconds of just looking at each other, he smiled and reached forward once more. All of the adrenaline gone, all Rebecca could do this time was close her eyes and brace herself.

His knuckles caressed her cheek and he left.

For what felt like ages, Rebecca just stood there. Heart beating wildly. Had she won? She did. She won this battle! But...what of the war?

No. There would be no war. She was no longer a kid in the closed environment of a high school where the smallest thing could create a chain of painful events. Here, he had no power.

"Hey, you okay?" A warm voice broke her train of thoughts and Rebecca looked around to see a slightly shorter girl with wild curls leaning down to pick up the chair. When Becca didn't immediately answer, the girl smiled with uncertainty. "I'm Lola, we in the same World Literature class...you know, Mrs. Norris and all..."

"Oh...I'm Rebecca," she finally answered, not wanting to seem rude but not really understanding the other girl's point. When Lola only nodded, Becca turned back to finish collecting her papers. It was painfully awkward.

"So...you wanna grab something for lunch together?"

Becca looked back, half suspicious of the girl but there didn't seem to be anything to be worried about. Lola just stood there with a friendly smile, alone like her. Maybe...maybe this really was just Becca getting a new friend. Smiling, she adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Okay."

"Awesome!" Lola fist bumped her and immediately started chatting like they were years old friends that had ages to catch up on and not enough time to do it. But Becca didn't mind.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

Unlocking her phone, she tapped out a new message.

Location: Florida
Time: 7:24 AM

It was boring, even for someone as calm as Kyle, this was just too boring. Still stuck in traffic, the young man let country music play on the radio as he rested back on his seat, arms-folded. He tried to relax a bit, knowing he would be in for a long wait. It was at that time that his phone vibrated and he was greeting back with a message from Duchess. Despite her deny of ''no awkwardness'' there was a tinging feeling in the back of his head that it was quite the opposite. He was getting ready to reply with a slightly amused demeanor but it was soon disspelled with the rapid increase of car horns blaring on his left side.

He turned his head and found two men getting out of their own cars and arguing among each other. Kyle looked forawhile as their insults rang at his ears. The look in his eyes behind those glasses was of someone analyzing a far-off scene. 'This is a main road that is heavily populated and has a higher chance of accidents, therefor police officers should be able to take care of the situation,' he came to that conclussion. Despite the fact that it was the same action every other onlooker would take.

He returned to trying to think of how to respond to Duchess' reply while eagerly trying to ignore the situation outside his car. They got louder and louder and as so, Kyle's teeth began to clench harder out of frustration. A mixture of emotions welled up within the simple gardener. He wanted to get involved, because of the inate sense of justice within him. Yet at the same time, he did not want to get involved out of the sheer fact that he wanted to leave behind that past of his. A moment afterward, physical contact was made by the two parties once one of the men had shoved the other.

It was then Kyle decided on what message to send Duchess,

Cyrus: I'm glad things are going well for you. Me on the otherhand, well looks like things are going to get more awkward for me. Don't think I'll be making any friends.

It was of no real suprise that Kyle would intervene in the argument before things got too heated, however.....

Fifeteen minutes later,

Kyle had found himself within the police station.

"So let me get this straight,"

Said the police officer to the glass-wearing youth sitting across from him in an office. "You go up to these two guys to stop them from fighting, but end up having their anger directed at you. So they attack you and despite it being two-on-one, you thoroughly beat the crap out of them, correct?" the police with a lazy expression raised an eyebrow at the report paper in his hands that described the events which to place moments ago. Awkwardly, Kyle scratched the back of his neck while trying to gather his thoughts together. "Truly, it was all in self defense, I really did only come to stop the commotion before it got dangerous," He replied truthfully with a bit of embarrassment on his face. "The eye-witnessess nearby say that one of them was crying for their mother," he attacked straightfowardly as waved the report back and forth. To which only Kyle could feel himself being more ashamed, "I-I suppose I was a little too aggressive in my approach,"

The police officer sighed heavily. "Well don't worry it's not like you're in any trouble. We looked at your background and what would you know, you were a former Detective, not only that but the son of Detective Joshua Drake himself," the officer couldn't help but crack a smile as he delivered the discovery. As if he had met with some sort of celebrity. In contrast, Kyle's expression only grew to be mores stern and serious. Mustering what he could, he gave a small reply "I see...well if that is all, I'll be taking my leave then". To the wonder of the police officer at the desk, Kyle immediatly stood and headed out of the door. Yes, he was a former detective, not only that but the son of the #1 Detective in the world. Yet, only shame seemed to bare down on his back instead of pride.

He walked down the hallway, passing caught criminals, victims giving their explanations and cops shareing doughnuts. All of it brought back memories, memories of a time that he truly felt alive and proud of himself. It was as if those memories were trying to pull him back into that past. Yet his reasoning for not going back stayed strong. Then almost as if the universe itself were connected with fate. That reasoning appearred in his vision. "H-Hey it's Detective Drake! He's actually here!" a nearby cop shouted and suddenly all eyes aimed at the point of entrance within the police station. A tall slender man in white coat with hair of equal color. He wore glasses that only further heightened his difened nature. This was the man that was known as the #1 Detective in the world. And to some, his nickname was 'The White Reaper'.

Their eyes met. "....Father,"

"Kyle?"

His name was Joshua Drake