Nadeshiko watched her younger sister as she rocked her baby.

"Kaoru, have you thought of what I asked?"

The woman paused her coddling and looked up through her black hair. "I have. And it's a no."

Nadeshiko scrunched her eyebrows, placing her tea on the coffee table adjacent to the plush couch.

"I see...Do I need to ask why?"

"I wish you wouldn't, but you probably will anyway."

A smile spread on the 25-year-olds face. "You know me too well."

"I just can't uproot my life right now, Nadeshiko." She set the baby girl in her crib. "Aoi is only a few months old and Natsume hasn't even turned 2 yet. I know you're worried about...my job...causing some sort of harm to me, but I'm a grown girl now. You don't have to mom me still. And please tell Sonomi the same, she won't stop sending me letters."

"She's just worried about you."

"Yea, well I'm fine. She should be more worried about taking care of Tomoyo now that Shino is gone." A sad look crossed her face at the mention of her late classmate that had been taken by an unknown illness the year before. She had an inkling that that 'unknown illness' had something to do with the elementary principal and his followers.

"Another reason for her to worry. Shes already lost someone close to her. She doesn't want to lose her cousin too."

Kaoru stood from the couch. Running a hand through her hair and touching the Alice stone hanging at her neck. "I'll be fine. You should just watch over Toya and Sakura. Coming from the Igarashi and Amamiya family their bound to be Alice holders too. If Alice Academy finds out they'll take them no matter their age."

Nadeshiko sighed. "Speaking of that. I'm pretty sure Toya has the same Alice as you and Mom. He's been showing signs."

"Do you know his Alice shape yet."

"Hopefully not the one we think it is, but we're not quite sure."

Kaoru paced anxiously.

Suddenly, the backdoor clicked and footsteps were heard. Coming from the hallway was Kaoru's husband Tanyu and their son Natsume.

He smiled. "Got the groceries. What's got you up and paced?"

He set the two bags on the kitchen table and the child to his feet. This is when the long-haired woman sitting in the living room came into view. "Nadeshiko! It's always good to see you. What brings you here?"

Nadeshiko laughed at her brother in laws antics. "It's good to see you too Tanyu. I came to visit my new niece Aoi and my nephew Natsume. And of course to visit with my sister too."

At the mention of his name, Natsume giggled and ran up to his aunt's feet. Nadeshiko picked him up and set him on her lap. "Look how you've grown young man! Almost as tall as your dad."

The nearly 2-year-old giggled again, playing with his aunt's silver brown locks of hair. Soon be grew bored and slipped off her lap looking for something else to keep his attention.

Nadeshiko smiled, standing from the couch and brushing her sundress off. "I should probably be heading out now."

"Oh, stay for dinner. We're having curry rice." Tanyu waved the grocery bags.

"While I'd love to Tanyu, I really need to get back to Sakura. She's been having on and off fevers this week. We can't figure as to why. The Doctors say it's just her immune system building up but who knows with our family."

Nadeshiko adjusted her purse onto her arm, walking up to her sister to give her a kiss of goodbye.

She leaned onto her with a hug. "If you change your mind Kaoru, call me. You guys are always open to our house in Tomoeda."

Kaoru smiled tightly. "I know."

~x~

Nadeshiko laughed at something her husband said, bouncing Sakura on her knee at the kitchen table. Her laughing ceased at the sound of the telephone. Fujkitaka stood to get it but Nadeshiko raised her hand, handing him Sakura.

"I got it."

She walked to the home phone, taking it from the red box.

"Hello?"

"'Nadeshiko!'"

"Kaoru?" Nadeshiko sucked in a gasp at the sound of fear in her sister's voice. It had been a few months since she last spoke to her. "What's wrong? Where are you?"

"'I'm on the streets of Tokyo. I think I'm being followed by some of his men. I tried getting a hold of Tanyu, but he won't answer.'"

"All right calm down. Where in Tokyo are you? Maybe we know someone close by who can hide you for a bit."

Nadeshiko looked over at her husband. Her face was enough for him to know something bad was occurring over the other line. "Can you get your cell and try to get into contact with Tanyu."

"On it." Fujitaka stood, carrying Sakura with him to the living room. "Toya will grab my phone off the coffee table?" He called to the boy sitting watching tv. He jumped to his feet, grabbing the phone and bringing it to his dad.

Nadeshiko turned back to her conversation.

"'I'm down a few blocks from the academy. I'm sure no one we know would still be living around here.'" Kaoru bitterly spoke. "'I knew I shouldn't have followed that lead on the Academy. I'm crossing the street now I might cut out a bit.'"

"Kaoru, I knew that place was too dangerous. You need to just come to Tomoeda and stay with us."

"'Well I'm thinking about it now. Nadeshiko I—'"

Through the phone, Nadeshiko heard a slight scream and a crash before the call cut out altogether.

"Kaoru!?" She yelled. There was, of course, no response. Nadeshiko wrapped the phone in horror.

Fujitaka walked into the dining room with Sakura and Toya following him.

Nadeshiko turned to her husband, tears slipping down her face.

~x~

The funeral was small and quiet. The sky a bit grey.

There were many tears of confusion and sadness from the children as they watched their mom and aunt lay still in the casket.

Nadeshiko whipped her tears with a handkerchief, leaning on her cousin Sonoma.

"This is all my fault. I should've forced her to stay with me."

Sonomi tapped her on the back of the head. "Don't you dare say that. She wouldn't want you blaming yourself."

"I know. But it hurts. It hurts so much. I was on the phone with her, I should've done something more."

"There's nothing else you could've done."

From behind her Tanyu walked up and placed his hand on her shoulder. Nadeshiko turned.

"Tanyu..."

Tanyu had small tears at the corners of his eyes as he held Aoi. "I'm gonna take the kids far off. I have to hide them before the Academy catches us. They killed Kaoru and they won't stop till they get all of us too. You should think about keeping a low profile too."

"Tanyu I-"

"I know Nadeshiko. Kaoru knew too. She also knew the risk she was putting herself in going as a freelance journalist. But she was such a free spirit and cared so deeply for everyone that she couldn't sit back and watch them continuously get hurt."

Nadeshiko swallowed her tears, her hand touching the black hair on Aoi's head that was so much like her late sisters.

Away from the group, standing off by an oak tree, was a woman wearing a black hood. Her amber eyes were filled to the rim and a fiery need for revenge burned in her stomach.