Hello ladies and gentlemen. I am back with another Underland Chronicles fanfic for you guys. This one will be better than the last because I'm a much more experienced writer and a more mature person as well(on top of I plan to finish unlike the last one wink wink). I've been thinking about the plot for a bit and this chapter take the first steps towards the overall experience. This chapter I hope is good for you guys as it does some things different then most. You'll find out what that is as soon as you get to reading. I hope you enjoy :) :0.

Chapter 1

The mental anguish was unbearable. The concept of living anymore was gone. The entire existence of the world was inconsequential. Nothing could change the feelings flowing through the young man's shredded heart. Tears were in the corner of his eyes just waiting to run their way down his cheeks leaving a wet trail behind.

Gregor slowly opened his eyes and all he saw was blurred. It looked like a water painting as there was no detail to be made out. There was row upon row of black figures sitting, kneeling, standing all around him as he slowly started to walk down the aisle of the funeral home. Ahead of him was what he dreaded and hated. Three coffins sat in front of the rows of chairs that had been set up for the grievers. Many people would be coming by to pay their respects to the three unfortunate souls that would never see the light of day again.

Gregor reached the coffins and looked inside each, not really sure what to say. He was a strong man only recently turning 18 and yet he had to endure the pain he was feeling now. There was nothing he could think of to say that would explain everything he wanted to say to the lifeless corpses in the caskets before him. It didn't matter that the three were the closest people to him and the ones he cared about the most in the world: his mom, his sister Lizzie, and his father.

10 Days Earlier

It was an early morning in early July. The day was set to be a hot one which is why Gregor was up so early. No better time to catch a nice run then before the sun could be blazing down upon him. He threw on a brand new pair of running shorts and a old t-shirt along with his beaten up running shoes. As he tied his shoes his mind drifted to his sleeping family. Both his parents were happy and well for once. In the years since he had left the underland things had changed. His family had moved away from the city, but not nearly as far as his mom had threatened. Virginia was a no go from the start simply because his father had been offered a job in Connecticut. It was a simple move and one that worked for everyone. Gregor had left his friends behind as had Lizzie and to some extent Margaret as well. It was tough at first, but they all adapted.

Gregor had adapted very well actually. Once he started high school he became the school's track star winning second place at state level meets. He was never popular though sticking with only a small group of friends. He was never a partier nor was he a bookworm. He was an exercise freak though. Gregor ran daily and had a regiment of body weight workouts that kept in tip top shape. To be blunt he thought himself rather sexy. While he had adapted easily enough Lizzie had not.

Lizzie was smart as hell but very socially awkward. She could pass every class with an A+, but when it came to making friends she was terrible. She would become dizzy when in large crowds and she was shy as could be. It was quite difficult for Gregor to even attempt to assist his younger sister as she entered high school behind him. She would never allow him to help her find friends or anything. That was another trait of hers. She was massively stubborn and she could be a major brat sometimes. It made him chuckle to think about.

And of course little Margaret had even grown up to be a capable pain as well. She had drifted from her Boots nickname at the age of seven and ever since went by her given name. She was bratty and hard headed even at the age of 10 which Gregor figured was normal. What else do 10 year old do than argue and make fits. He wouldn't know personally due to his role around the house when he was that age. But that was a long time ago and now Gregor had to run and run badly.

He clambered off his bed and walked quietly out into the hall trying as hard as he could to avoid the squeaky floorboard right in the middle of the hall. And of course he stepped on it. The loud erie squeak filled the hall and Gregor held his breath. He hated waking his family up before a proper time, but sometimes it was inevitable. The door at the end of the hall opened and a bed head haired 10 year old poked her head out the door.

"Gregor, what's goin on?"

"Nothin' Margaret. I'm just headin' out for a run. Go back to bed, I'll be back soon," Gregor replied to his sister. She shook her head and closed her door to go back to the comfort of her bed. Gregor continued down the hall to the stairs. He crept down them careful to not make any more noises and wake up any more members of his family. He managed pretty well and made it to the front door without waking anyone else up. He looked around his house for a second before he opened the front door and stepped outside.

The street was empty as he headed to the street. His house was just one of many that made up the neighborhood they lived in. All the houses looked almost identical and he shook his head at it like he did every morning as he began his run. When they had first moved here it had been weird to him coming from New York City and the confines of the buildings. Here it was more open, but yet felt more closed in. everything looked pretty close to the same. Same house shapes, similar colors, similar yards. It all blurred together as he ran. If it wasn't for street signs he wasn't quite sure that he would ever be able to find his house.

It seemed so odd that he wanted to go back to the city. To see how everything had changed and how all his old friends were. He still talked to Angelina and Larry as often as he could. He would call them or text them every once in a while, but it was never the same as just walking down the street to see them. He missed going on the bus or the subway so he could just get away for a bit to think. That is what his running is for now.

Sweat streamed down Gregor's face as he finished the last leg of his 8 miles. He was coming up the other end of the street his house was on. Nothing beats running in a loop, he thought to himself. His breathing was only slightly labored, but he was glad that he was almost home. He wanted to just grab a glass of Gatorade and a quick bite of food before a quick shower. That would just complete his perfect morning before he would go on and finish out his day with a bit of this and that.

He walked into the front door to a rambunctious wave of noise and energy. His house seemed alive with activity as his family was awake and on the move. His dad was in the kitchen cooking up a pan of eggs and bacon, his mom at the table with coffee talking with her daughter, and Lizzie was sitting there rocking in her chair trying to control her breathing. That was a surprise to Gregor as he couldn't see why she would be having a nervous breakdown at this time in the morning.

" What's up with Liz, mom?" Gregor asked his mom startling everyone in the Kitchen. They hadn't seen him walk in.

"She has her ACT today, Gregor. Don't you remember when you had to take it?" Gregor did remember when his mom did make him take it. and he hated her for that really. Gregor wasn't dumb, but he also wasn't the smartest guy when it came to school. He was a more practical person, knowing more about electronics and mechanics then proper English and math. Even then he had managed a decent 28 composite score.

Gregor sat down next to his sister and gave her a squeeze. "Hey Liz, don't worry so much. If your idiot older brother can do well on it then a genius like you can ace this test." Lizzie looked at her brothers sweaty face and pushed him away a smile cresting her face. She took a napkin and wiped her arm off of his sweat.

"Gregor you really need to take a shower. You're so gross!" Gregor was always good about making Lizzie forget about her problems. He smiled at her and chuckled a little. His dad tossed him his bottle of Gatorade and handed him a plate of eggs and toast. Gregor nodded to his dad and sat at his place at the table, thanking his parents for the food before digging in. His dad made great eggs, Gregor thought as he ate up the nice breakfast and listened to his parents talk.

"Why did no one wake me up?!" came a annoyed voice from the door to the kitchen. Margaret was standing there looking jealously at the rest of her family. She walked in and looked each member in the face stopping at Gregor's.

"Hey, dont blame me. I just got back from my run," Gregor chuckled at his youngest sister. He got up and put his now empty plate on the counter and then grabbed one from the cabinet to make a plate of breakfast for his sister. He put extra bacon on her plate to appease her some. " Here you go you little baby." He winked at her.

"Thanks, bro," Margaret honestly answered back before giving her brother a little shove. She then sat down with the rest of the family while Gregor ran upstairs to take a quick shower. The water ran over him and he let his mind wander. He looked at his body and placed his hand on each scar. The worst one being the one that covered the majority of the left side of his chest. The one that the Banes massive claws had gashed into him some 6 years earlier. He could still still the battle bit by bit. Moment by Moment.

The memories hurt to think about sometimes, but he had learned to block them out. He wanted to see all those that he had come to know and yet was unable to see, yet he knew that that was impossible. Not only because of them moving away but also because his parents had eased him out of it. He got his fighting bit at the gym and had tried to date throughout high school no matter how painful it was. The dating failed miserably as no girl could ever compare to his first and most likely only love. The beautiful Queen Luxa who was indeed a queen now having been crowned 2 years prior. At the time Gregor had begged his mom to let him go to the coronation, but his mom had held her ground. She wanted Gregor to forgive and forget that part of his young life even though she knew it to be impossible.

The time wore by as Gregor stood in the shower thinking. He finally just shut the water off and grabbed his towel off the hook on the wall. He dried off thinking about the absorbent towels of the Underland. Everything he did brought his thoughts back to the Underland no matter how hard he tried to block them out. It killed him, but he assumed it would eventually drift away into obscurity as he got older. Perhaps though it would not and his life would some what be controlled by his memories.

Gregor's parents left with Lizzie to take her to her ACT an hour or so later and left Gregor and Margaret behind. Gregor lounged around the house while she did whatever she needed to do. He turned on the TV and browsed through the channels. Nothing was on the limited list of channels that cable provided. No sports on yet and nothing good on any of the big networks. Life was boring in the summer. He finally decided on putting on the news just to see what was going on out in the world and around the tri-state area. There was unrest in the east and political shenanigans on the homefront. All so boring. Gregor slowly dozed off on the couch.

"Gregor wake up. Wake up!" Gregor sprung up off the couch alert as ever. Margaret stood there looking at him with a look of shock on her face and a finger pointing to the TV. Gregor spun his head towards it and saw the most terrifying thing he could see: Live news coverage of a terrifying fatal car accident. A car accident involving a car that look very much like his parents. The reporter on the TV said that the driver of a red pickup had veered into the wrong lane and impacted the black Camry head on instantly killing the drivers of both cars. The passengers of the Camry had been taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Gregor could not believe what he was seeing. He quickly ran to the phone and flipped through his moms book of contacts, frantically looking for the number of the local hospital that they had said the injured had been taken to. He found the number and picked up the phone to call. He felt his sister grab his hand as he put the phone to his ear. It rang and rang and rang until finally a woman answered.

"Hello, how can I -"

"Is there a Grace and Lizzie Parker there? They should have been brought in from that car accident. Please I need to know." Gregor panted into the phone. He was prepared for the worst answer possible.

"Yes, they are in the trauma center now. There is no update on their condition. Are you family?"

"Yea, will they be okay?"

"I can't tell you that now. If you can I would recommend getting down to the hospital though."

"Thank you ma'am," Gregor replied before hanging up the phone. He grabbed himself and Margaret shoes and quickly got ready as they raced out of the house. He grabbed his keys and clambered into his black pickup. It was Gregor's 18th birthday present and he had only had it for a month. He raced down to the hospital as fast he possibly could without having to worry about cops.

As soon as they made it to the hospital Gregor parked and grabbed his sister. He literally carried her as fast he could into the building and to the desk. He frantically started asking questions and he was directed to the trauma center. Gregor ran as fast he could up three floors to reach it. A doctor was waiting for him there.

"Mr. Parker, Please have a seat. We have much to discuss." Gregor sat down and put Margaret in the chair next to him. The Doctor continued, "The news isn't good right now I'm sad to say. Both of your family members have sustained serious head trauma and other wounds. Your sister has suffered severe internal bleeding and your mother if she survives will be paralyzed. It is hard to say how badly though."

The news washed over Gregor. He was the man of the house now no matter what happened. If his mom couldn't walk she couldn't work and they would have no way to make any knew he would have to take over the house running business now and it would be hard, but as of right now he didn't care. He just wanted his family alive.

Hours ticked by off the clock without any news reaching the ears of the two siblings. Gregor stared at the wall clock watching the seconds hand slowly progress around the clock. Doctors walked to and from the trauma center, but none stopped to say a word to them. It was a challenge for them to just sit there and not be able to do anything to help their family. Gregor was tempted to ask a passing doc for any news, but he never got out of his chair. It was almost as if he was glued to his chair.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Gregor estimated it had been 7 hours since the two had arrived at the hospital when the doctor finally showed back up. It had been a long day at the hospital filled with nerves and terrible thoughts, prayers and hopes, hunger and angst. Neither Gregor or Margaret had moved for the whole time they had been sitting there. Neither stood up to stretch or to get something to drink or to pace. They just sat. Until the doc showed himself again.

"Mr. Parker," the dac said as he entered through the door of the trauma center. Gregor leaped to his feet immediately, ready for news no matter how good or bad. The doc could see it on his face as well as Maragaret's as she had also leaped out of her chair. He continued," We have them stabilized for now, but the critical point has not passed for either. It would be best if you both went home for now as waiting here will only stress you out more. I will have a nurse call your home if there is anything we need to tell you."

Gregor nodded his head in thought. He understood the doctor's reasoning and was glad to hear that his Mother and sister were at least still alive. He just wanted to see them.

"Doctor, is it possible for us to see them?" Gregor asked hesitantly.

"I'm sorry to say that at this moment it is impossible as we need them to rest and let their bodies do what the body can do considering the severity of the injuries,"The doctor replied before continuing,"Don't worry though. We are doing all that we can to make sure your family comes back to you."

Gregor understood completely. He shook the doctor's hand before he grabbed Margaret's and walked solemnly back to his drive dragged on and felt as if it took hours to drive back to their home. The house felt empty this late in the evening. The clock read 8:23 pm when Gregor glanced at it. Everyone was almost always home at this time. However, today it was just him and Margaret. They both slumped on the couch next to the phone and stared at the clock not talking to each other or watching TV or anything. They were too worn out for that.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Morning came and neither Gregor nor Margaret had slept a wink. They were both tense waiting for the phone to ring for an update on the condition of their injured relatives. The phone did not ring though and Gregor's stomach was aching for food. He hadn't eaten since breakfast the morning before. He got up and walked to the Kitchen to get something for his stomach. It didn't matter what that something was. If there was a tire in front of him he would have probably eaten it. He grabbed some peanut butter and jelly and made two sandwiches which he brought to the couch. He gave one to Margaret and ate one himself, but he never tasted it. It was an empty sandwich, one with no flavor and served to only beat his hunger. Then the phone rang.

Gregor bounded off the couch and snatched the phone up. He stood and listened, but did not believe what he heard. His face slowly drooped and finally he hung the phone up. Margaret looked at him longing for information.

"Well, Boots, were alone. Mom and Lizzie died."

Present

The gravestones stood next to each other in the graveyard. There was nothing for anyone to do anymore. Gregor and Margaret stood hand in hand and looked at the stones. That was all they had to really look at and remember their family. There was some pictures of the family but nothing that truly stood out as memories. However, the stones in front of them made memories flow through his heart and caused tears to come to his eyes. He turned from the stones and started to walk away down towards his truck. He had only one thought in his mind. He hopped into the truck and turned on the engine. Margaret jumped into the truck next to him and looked at him funny.

"Where are we headed, bro? What is there for us?"

"There is nothing for us here, but were not staying here," Gregor replied.

"Then where are we going?"

"Were goin' to New York."

Yep I'm back and I have a great story planned for you guys. Leave a review and follow/favorite the story if you can't wait to see what happens next. I'm so glad I'm back to writing again. It feels so good to be able to just key out some awesome stuff for you guys to read.