A/N: Yuki and Snow are 3 - 5 yrs old... or somewere in between. My point is they are young in this chapter. Akito is about 8 or 9.
Disclaimer: Dont own it. Dont say I do. If I did then Snow would be a part of the manga.
Snow cried out as she was thrown into the edge of her bed. Her brother Akito walked over to her and dragged her off the ground by her hair.
"Say it", hissed Akito. Snow just whimpered in pain.
"SAY IT" Akito screamed throwing Snow against the wall. Snow cried out in pain again as she hit the wall and slid to the floor. She tried to get up, but as soon as she moved a burning pain shot up from her chest signaling that at least one of her ribs were broken or at the very least fractured.
Snow's vision swam as she started to lose consciousness but was forced back to reality by a sharp tug to her hair.
"Say it" growled Akito, fury blazing in his eyes. Snow stayed silent. Akito growled after getting no answer from the girl, then brought his hand back to hit her only to have his hand caught by an even bigger one. Snow raised her head slightly to see a teenage Hatori restraining Akito.
"That is quite enough Akito" said Hatori firmly.
Akito scowled at Hatori, but let go of Snow, who gratefully collapsed in a heap on the floor.
"We should get you back to bed" Hatori said who was already pulling Akito towards the door.
Snow opened her eyes to see Hatori pulling Akito out the door.
...Thank-you...
That was Snows last thought before she sucumbered to the awaiting darkness.
--
When Snow woke it was dark outside. The pain in her chest was now just a dull ache, no longer unbearable but just over painful. In the distance she could hear Akito shouting, but she didn't no, nor did she care who it was too. Groaning Snow opened her eyes realizing that she was now in her bed and not on the floor. 'Hatori must have come back' she thought, before running her hand across her belly only to feel the rough material of bandages.
'Must thank him next time I see him' Snow thought as she sat up slowly flinching slightly at the pain from her rib. Snow heard a small scream from down the hall. She cringed at the sound before slowly getting out of bed and stumbling to the door. Leaning against the door slightly, Snow slide down the hard wood until she was sitting on the floor. Pressing her ear against the door Snow listened for more sounds of pain. But what ever was happening down the hall had quietened down, although from time to time Snow thought she heard a muffled cry. Suddenly a door banged opened and Akito started to speak.
"I am going away for a while. Do not try to escape my pet because you know what the consequences to that would be."
Akito then slammed the door shut and quickly walked down the hall. Snow retracted from her door quickly in fear as Akito passed.
'Please don't come in here' Snow pleaded with herself, but Akito's swift footsteps continued past her door without a pause. Snow breathed a sigh of relief.
Swaying slightly, Snow got up then went to her door, reaching out for the doorknob but hesitated.
Snow pulled her hand away from the door. Should she really be doing this? Akito had always forbade her to leave her room and she knew that she would most probably have more broken bones if she was caught. Snow shuddered at the thought of what Akito would do. But Snow was curious as to who Akito had shut in the room down the hall. Snow shook her head slightly before reaching for the doorknob again.
'Whatever happens, happens' thought Snow as she pulled the door open slightly. She peaked out the crack between the door and the door frame and seeing that the coast was clear pushed the door wide open. Stumbling slightly Snow moved quietly down the hall, her feet not making a sound against the wooden floor.
Snow made it to the first door down from her room. Pressing her ear to the door she listened for even the slightest sound but heard nothing. Snow continued to do this for every door, but with the same results.
Making it to the last door, Snow shivered as she realized that it was Akito and hers old playroom. Snow frowned as she vaguely remembered that another little boy use to play with them. Purple-gray eyes flashed across her mind as she tried to remember the boy. Leaning against the door, Snow closed her eyes concentrating on remembering.
But after 5 minutes of this she could only come up with two things. His name was Yuki and he held the spirit of the Rat.
Shaking her head again, Snow pressed her ear against the door expecting the same result as last time. Her eyes widened when she heard a muffled sob from the other side of the door. Taking a step back Snow grabbed the handle getting ready to open the door, decided against it, dropped to her knees and once again pushed her ear to the door.
Knocking softly Snow heard the person on the other side of the door gasp before stuttering.
"Who-o-o-o's there?"
Ignoring the question Snow replied. "Are you alright?"
"I think so. He didn't hurt me that bad."
"That's good" said Snow "I thought that Akito had really hurt…" Snow stopped her sentence and looked around at the sound of approaching footsteps.
What is it?" said the person inside the room.
"Someone's coming" Snow said "I have to go." Snow stood and turned to go when the person on the other side of the door called. "Wait, promise me that you will come back, please."
Snow's expression softened, then she knelt back down next to the door before opening it slightly and putting her hand though.
Reaching out blindly Snow's hand came into contact with soft skin, hair falling around her hand.
"I will" Snow said softly. "But I must go now." A cold hand pulled her hand away then placed something cold into her palm. Another cold hand curled her fingers around the object before letting go of Snow's hand.
Snow quickly retracted her hand before sliding the door shut and staggering back to her room. Just after Snow had shut her door, Hatori came striding down the hallway, on his way to see Akito. Hatori stopped outside Snow's door wondering whether he should go in and check on her. Shaking his head he thought to himself, 'she's most probably still asleep' before continuing up the hallway.
Snow who had been leaning on her door, slide down to the floor as she gave a sigh of relief. Feeling a slight stabbing pain in her hand Snow stretched her fingers to reveal a bracelet in the middle of her palm. On the end was a charm in the shape of a mouse.
Snow suddenly knew who was in the old playroom
--
In the playroom down the hall, a young boy with silver hair and purple-gray eyes sat in the corner of his black prison. Tilting his head back against the wall he closed his eyes. His mind drifted on the edge of unconsciousness as he went over what had happened before. A small smile tugged at his lips. One last image came back to him, of a pale hand reaching through the door to his prison. "Thank-you" whispered Yuki Sohma as he let himself fall into the world of darkness.
--
For weeks after Snow continued to go see Yuki in the playroom. Although she knew who was kept in the old playroom, Snow had never asked Yuki for his name and in return Yuki had never asked for hers. The second time Snow had gone to visit Yuki they had agreed to stay on opposite sides of the door, so that if someone came along, Snow could get away without becoming trapped in the playroom with no where to hide. The most Yuki had ever seen of her was her arm and the edge of her sleeve. Snow was yet to see any part of Yuki's body, as he was too scared to even put a finger outside of the playroom in fear of being caught.
--
Snow crept out of her room just like always. Making her way down to the end of the hall she knelt down next to the playroom door and knocked three times. Her signal to Yuki that she was there. Yuki moaned slightly as he moved over to the door.
"What's wrong?" said Snow as she pushed the door open slightly. Yuki grabbed her hand, and then nuzzled against it.
"I don't feel well" he murmured into her palm. Snow gently pulled her out of Yuki's grip then pressed it lightly against his forehead. Snow's eyes widened in shock.
"You have a fever. You need to see Hatori." Said Snow pulling her hand away, but Yuki just grabbed her hand again. Snow felt a cold finger trace the lines in her palm.
"I'll be ok as long as you're here with me." Said Yuki before bursting into a fit of coughs.
"I don't care if you say that you're alright. What if you have an asthma attack? I'm going to find Hatori." Said Snow as she got up to leave.
"What is this?" Said a cold voice from behind Snow.
Snow's blood went cold as she heard that voice. A hand grabbed her shoulder in an iron grip. Snow flinched at the pain. Slowly she was turned around till she was looking in Akito's cold eyes. Akito dipped his head down till they were the same height before whispering in Snow's ear.
"I asked you a question. What are you doing?" He said, tightening his grip on Snow's shoulder.
Anger jumped in his eye's when Snow only whimpered. Akito threw Snow into the wall in anger. Snow cried out in pain as her head rammed into an sharp object. Satisfaction glimmered in Akito's eyes as he watched blood drip through Snow's hair turning it from pure white to dark red.
"What's wrong?" Yuki asked from behind the door.
Akito turned around as Yuki pushed the door open to see what was going on. Yuki's eyes widened when he came face to face with Akito.
"So? It looks like my pet isn't as good as I thought he was. For this you must be punished." Akito reached out a hand to grab Yuki but stopped hearing a grown from behind him.
Turning around Akito saw Snow standing behind him.
"Leave him alone, Akito. He didn't do anything wrong, I'm the one who left my room not him" Snow said quietly.
Anger flashed in Akito's eyes as he lashed out at Snow, sending her flying through the paper wall and into the garden.
Glancing back at Yuki who was huddling, shaking in the doorway, Akito growled "I'll deal with you later", before following Snow into the garden.
Walking into the garden, Akito saw that Snow had smashed her head into a rock when she landed. Akito smirked in satisfaction as more blood flowed from the wounds in her head.
Anger flared in Akito's eyes when Snow slowly began to rise again.
Walking over to Snow, Akito kicked her in the stomach while yelling "YOU THINK YOU CAN DISABAY ME! I AM GOD! YOU DON'T DISABAY GOD".
"Stop" said a small voice from behind Akito. Turning around Akito saw Yuki standing on the porch.
"Please Akito, stop" pleaded Yuki.
Akito moved forward quickly then grabbing Yuki by his throat lifted him into the air. Akito smirked, as Yuki clawed at his hand gasping for breath.
"Please, let go" gasped Yuki, before starting a coughing fit. Running footsteps could be heard but Akito ignored them.
"Akito let him go" yelled Hatori as he and Sigure and Ayame came running around the corner.
Akito dropped Yuki go then kicked him sharply in the chest.
"AKITO NO" yelled Sigure grabbing Akito and pulling him away from the small boy. Hatori knelt down next to Yuki who was rasping for breath and clawing at his throat.
"He's having an asthma attack" Hatori muttered to himself, as Sigure dragged Akito back to the house. Hatori gently pulled Yuki's hands away from his throat.
"It's ok Yuki, just breath. Calm down now and breath" said Hatori as he rubbed soothing circles on his back.
Glancing over at Snow, Hatori saw that Ayame had gently picked her up and was watching Hatori almost as if he was silently asking him what to do.
"Take her back to my house," said Hatori "Try and find something to stem the blood flow."
Ayame nodded solemnly, before walking quickly in the direction of Hatori's house as Hatori turned back to Yuki, who was still struggling to get his breath under control.
"It's ok Yuki, everything is going to be alright" said Hatori soothingly.
Slowly Yuki's breathing returned to normal and he fell forward leaning onto Hatori for support, both physically and mentally exhausted.
Hatori gently slide his arms under Yuki's back and thighs before lifting the small boy up. Throwing a dark look at the now silent house, Hatori started to walk back towards his house, silently wondered if Sigure would be ok by himself.
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A/N: Wow that was dark. Anyway Review people. They make me happy. They also make me write faster.