I open my eyes to see that I am in a back of an ambulance. I immediately start coughing roughly. Someone put there hand on my head.

"It's okay Ji Yong just take deep breaths."

I see a paramedic looking at me with deep concern. I sit up on the stretcher. 

"What happened?! Where's mom and Mary Kate?! Are they okay?!?!"

My voice cracked and erupted into a rough coughing fit. The paramedic held an oxygen mask to my face. 

"Easy does it. Deep breaths."

I hear a familiar wail growing closer to the back of the ambulance, my mom appears holding crying Mary Kate in a blanket.

"Ji Yong, Oh my God, I am so happy that you're okay!"

She climbs in the interior of the ambulance to give me a tight embrace. I hold Mary Kate in a tight grip. I am beyond relieved that they are okay. The paramedic checked my vitals when I told him that I would rather not be taken to the hospital and trying to ensure them I was okay. I help Mom out of the back of the vehicle. I froze in front of what used to be my house. 

The flames were gone but all that remains is a pile of burnt rubble, an unstable hollow frame of the house, and tons of smoke. All of our pictures, the Christmas presents, clothes, electronics, and furniture... Gone. 

All I have is my cell phone and the clothes on my back. I felt the tears well up in my eyes. 

"Mom... What happened?"

She sighs deeply.

"I have no idea. I woke up smelling smoke and I saw the living room was on fire. I yell for you and I grabbed Mary Kate. The smoke was too much I couldn't see where I was going. A fireman led us out and treated both of us as another fireman went in and got you. It seems like this fire started out of no where."

We hear a familiar voice call our names from behind us. Gabe quickly hurries out of the car rushing over to us. He brings all of us in for a hug. He is very happy that we came out of the fire unharmed, I'm certain his heart sunk when my started crying. This is the first time I've ever seen my Mom actually cry. Rephrasing that sentence, his heart and MY heart sunk. 

"Gabriel what am I going to do? My babies and I are homeless. We lost everything."

Gabe didn't say anything, he only hugged her tightly, giving her kisses on the top of the head. I back up a bit to allow him to comfort her. I hold Mary Kate tightly in her blanket trying to keep her warm. 

"Don't worry honey. My parents have a guest house I'm sure they will let you stay there. I'll take good care of you and the kids. I promise not to let you go." 

After a moment Mom stopped crying and then went to the shed with Gabe to see what we can bring with us. They managed to get: My BMX Bike, 4 heavy blankets, spare baby clothes, Mary Kate's Pack n Play, the spare diaper bag, my extra clothes, her extra clothes, canned food supply, and a box of DVDs.

Not exactly a lot but it's all to spare. Mom buckles Mary Kate in her car seat as I climb in the front seat. We follow Gabe for what seems like forever, he stops in front of a small cottage looking house. 

"Here we are welcome to the humble abode that is my parent's guest house."

He unlocks the door allowing us to step in. I'm not the one to complain about living arrangements but it is indeed small for two people and a baby. It seems to be one big room with a separate room for the bathroom. There's two twin beds and a crib for Mary-Kate. The small efficient kitchen is in the right back corner, and a dining table with two chairs and a high chair. 

It will most certainly be okay for a temporary stay. 

"If you have any concerns, my parent's house is 500 feet away, just go inside. I'm always here for you guys."

Mom hugs Gabe tight.

"Thank you so much Gabriel."

He nods.

"I'll knock about 9am for breakfast."

He gives my Mom one last kiss before turning away to leave. She takes a deep breath.

"Ji Yong I am so sorry about this. If I had another place to go at this hour I would take you two there. I am such a bad mother."

I pat her shoulder. 

"No you're not. Stop putting yourself down. You got a roof over our heads that's all that matters. You did all you can."

I chose the right twin bed starting to get changed in my pajamas.

"Good Morning Good Morning GOOD MORNING Mr. Kwon it is  It's 9:15 AM! Up Up Up!"

I open my eyes and cover my head with the pillow. It really feels like I just fell asleep. 

"Gabe my God shut up. Five more minutes."

He comes in pulling the blanket off my body. 

"Go bug Mom and the baby leave me alone... I am so tired..."

He pulls me out of the bed by my shirt.

"No way kid breakfast started 5 minutes ago and everyone is waiting for your tired young . Now get up or I'm getting the ice water bucket and wake you up the old fashioned way."

My eyes widened and I sat up in bed.

"Please not the cold water method..."

"Oh yes the cold water method. I got lots of ice for better effect."

I got a flash back of when I was at a week long boy scouts camp when I was seven and my dad thought it was funny to pour a bucket of cold water on me to wake me up. I stumble out of bed.

"I'm up. I'm up."

After an egg and bacon breakfast, since it has been so unseasonably warm outside I wanted to take Mary Kate for a walk in her stroller. Mom says it's okay as long as I carry a blanket for her and have my cell phone on and turned up.

I took a break from through the park with her by showing her the ducks and held her in my lap as she looks around. I got a hot pretzel and sat down on the bench feeding her a bottle.

"JI YONG!" A loud familiar voice boomed.

Ahh... Connor. I thought I got rid of him a long time ago. They say roaches are near impossible to get rid of. 

"Ugh, what do you want? Have you got other people's lives to ruin?"

He scoffs giving me a swift kick in the side almost knocking me over with the baby in my arms. I quickly retaliated by putting Mary Kate safely back in her stroller then hauling over and nailing him in the chin.

"That's for nearly hurting my sister! You need to back off!"

He cackles at me.

"Oh Ji Yong has gone soft! EVERYONE! JI YONG IS SOFT NOW! A SOFT HEARTED WIMP!!"

I punch him in the chest knocking the wind out of him he fell back.

"If my sister wasn't in my presence I'd beat your face in so hard they'll need your dental records to identify you."

He cackles again roughly shoving me I lost my balance almost knocking the stroller over. He glares at Mary Kate.

"You're as ugly as your brother. It must run in the family."

"That's it!"

I had Connor on the ground ready to punch his teeth in.

"KWON JI YONG!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" 

I turn around seeing my Mom storming over to me and picking Mary Kate up in her arms.

"Home NOW."

I'm Screwed.