A/N: Nada. Just enjoy.

Disclaimer: If I owned Gravitation, the manga would be rated NC-17/M/R/xXx. Clearly, I don't own it. =(

Warnings: Foul language, slightly graphic beating, and very slow updates.

Pairing: Eiri/Shuichi

Genre: Paranormal romance, alternate universe, and suspense

Rating: Teen 16+ (for now)

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Shuichi wanted to fall asleep, but was too jittery to do so. The train had already been moving for 45 minutes but that had felt like hours to him. He had to form a plan to save his sister and himself. And maybe even kill the bastard that threatened them. He may be small and a little frightened, but nobody threatened his baby sister and got away with it. He was The Shuichi Shindou, damn it! The top singing vocalist, most popular singer, number one band in all of Japan and many other countries! This guy messed with the wrong person!

Of course, reality hit him like a dump truck and all that faux anger and toughness was thrown out the proverbial window. Who was he kidding? He couldn't kill anybody. He couldn't make a plan. He couldn't even shake off the nervousness going through his body at that moment. He was pathetic and he knew it. And what was worse was he was on the brink of losing it. He finally let the tears fall.

Damn it, Maiko. Just hang in there. I'll find you. I'll figure something out.

If only she could hear those words and put faith in him. If only he could hear her voice again. The first time he did was what really frightened him.

He'd just gotten up and was preparing for his day when he received a phone call from his sister. He happily answered; excited for the news he had for her. Bad Luck had just been nominated for Album and Band of the year and some other awards that wasn't as important. He knew without a doubt that it was in the bag! But what he didn't expect was the sniffling and terrified voice of his sister on the other end of the line. Right then, he knew this wasn't some kind of joke.

"S-shuichi… y-y-you have… ahhh-" He heard some scuffling and a loud slap. His face went red in anger. That didn't sound like applause… that sounded like a strike on his sister. Then he heard uncontrollable sobbing from what could only be Maiko. He began to shake and waited. A man came on the line then…

"Listen up, punk. I have your precious sister here. See, she failed to do what I asked. I don't like it when people don't follow my orders and that puts me in a tough situation. Now, she's made it your problem. If you don't do as I say, well, let me just tell you, you won't like what'll happen to her. I have some very greedy and needy men with me and they're just begging for a good time-"

"Don't you dare touch her, you disgusting-"

"Getting bold are we? Considering the situation, I'll let that go. But don't interrupt me again or Maiko will regret you did. Where were we? Ah, yes, aside from the torture your sister will receive if you don't follow through, I'll have my men hunt you down and kill you cold blood. Well, I guess I can give them permission to have a little fun with you first. No harm in that for them. I'm sure they'd enjoy it. Oh, *Shu-chan, how are your parents by the way? And your friend, Hiro? Are they doing well?"

Shuichi fell to his knees and cried. "P-please, leave them out of this. You already have me and my sister. Just tell me what you want."

"Ah, there is nothing more bittersweet than the sound of fear from a person's lips. I'm getting a hard-on just listening to you."

"Please, stop. Just tell me what you want. Just, please, don't hurt her and leave my family and friends out of this."

There was a long pause and Shuichi was terrified that the stranger had possibly hung-up on him. He cringed when he heard malevolent laughter.

"Reduced to begging, huh? Oh, how I love this. Very well, there is a package waiting for you at the post office. Take that package to the nearest train station and set it by the red pay phone near the men's restroom. When that's done, get in line to buy a ticket. We'll keep in-"

"WAIT! Let me-"

"Oh, Shindou, interrupting me again? Bad move on your part."

"Just let me talk to my sister, please. I need to know she's okay."

There was a long pause again, but this time, thankfully, no laughter.

"S-shuichi?"

"Maiko! Are you alright? Have they touched you? Are you hurt?"

"No, just a few slaps, but I'm fine. Big brother, you can't get what they want-"

"Alright, that's enough! You heard her voice. Are you going to do as I say or not, Shindou?"

He was about to say yes, but he heard Maiko shouting in the background.

"DON'T DO IT, SHUICHI! HE CAN NEVER GET THAT KEY! NEVER! LISTEN TO ME! LET ME DIE HERE-"

He heard her scream again and men shouting. It sounded like the phone dropped but he could still hear her screams.

"PLEASE, STOP! LEAVE HER ALONE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU SAY! JUST, STOP, PLEASE, STOP!"

The screaming ended. Oh, no. Was she dead? Why Maiko? Why'd you have to be stupid and do that?! Oh, what am I going to do? He heard her start sobbing again and let out a sigh of relief. She's alive. I can still help her.

"Good choice, Shindou. Keep in mind; she dies if you go to the police… or anyone for that matter. We'll keep in touch." Click

Tears still falling, Shuichi shut that memory away. He took the package where it needed to go; now he was on his way to Kyoto. What they wanted him to do there he didn't know. He only hoped that it was the last thing they forced him to do. He wanted his sister and he wanted to go home.

He closed his eyes again and tried desperately to sleep. He just wished to forget everything for a little while and hoped sleep would help. It wasn't working.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Shuichi glanced up and saw a tall man in dark clothes with a clip board. The conductor, perhaps? But don't conductors usually where some sort of conductor suit?

"Yes?"

"Sorry to bother you, but there seems to have been a problem with your ticket. You're going to have to come with me."

"My ticket? But,-"

"Please, sir. Would you come with me?"

Sighing, he reluctantly got up to follow. What the heck could possibly be wrong with my ticket?

The conductor led him to the empty *caboose. It looked like a place of storage.

Turning to the train employee; he wondered what was wrong. He paid in full for this trip. There should be no mix-up. Before he could ask, he felt something slash across his face. He tasted blood as his eye and cheek began to throb in pain. Covering his face with his hand, he felt the warm blood from his wound pouring between his fingers.

Before he could even react to what had happened he felt a blow on the other side of his face and fell to his knees. Finally realizing that this guy obviously wasn't the conductor and was going to kill him, he jumped to his feet and ran.

He didn't get far before the man tackled him to the ground and cuffed his hands behind his back. Fearing for his life, he struggled, kicked and screamed but to no avail. The guy was just too overpowering.

Akio pulled the boy up and threw him face first into the wall. A broken nose was his aim, even though he hated himself for what he was doing. He did it again and the boy screamed in pain.

"Stop! I'm doing what you said! I'm going to Kyoto!"

Shuichi quickly head butted the guy before he could smash him into the wall again. He could feel the blood pouring from his nose and the cut across his cheek. The man staggered back and Shuichi made a run for it again. The man was quicker. The next blow threw Shuichi off his feet and sent him skittering across the floor. Dazed from the hit, Shuichi tried to refocus. He felt a blow on his stomach and was thrown back another few feet. The man began kicking him. Once, twice, three times. He was going to die. He knew it.

The fourth kick was to his face. Shuichi could have sworn he felt a few of his teeth being knocked out. He cried out in agony.

The beating finally ceased and he wondered when the guy would finish him. He looked up through swollen eyes and saw the man just standing there, looking down at him. Shuichi tried desperately, but he couldn't move. He was just in too much pain. He saw something gleaming in the man's hand and tried to get up again. He fought and fought and finally managed to get to one knee. The man pushed him to his back again and brought something down hard. Right above his heart. A knife. It plunged deep.

Shuichi couldn't even cry anymore. His tongue refused to work. The man stabbed him one more time, this time in his gut.

On the brink of passing out, with his hands still cuffed behind his back, he felt the man lift him up. He heard some shuffling and what sounded like a garage door opening.

"Sorry kid, I didn't want to do this, but it was either my life or yours. Quit searching for what they want or you're dead. There's a town five miles north from here. Good luck."

The man threw him off the train. Nooo! I have to get Kyoto! MAIKO!

He hit the ground hard and felt the bones in his right arm shatter. He rolled and rolled in the cold snow and everything went black.

-x-

He could smell blood. It was fresh. It wasn't far. It was perfect timing.

The pure white wolf ran with his siblings through the cold, snowy forest in search of a meal. It was their turn to hunt for the rest of the pack and they'd make well on their duty.

Using his heightened senses to follow the scent of blood, he ran faster. His brother and sister close behind; they could smell it as well. They were getting closer. They finally got to an open clearing. The smell of fresh blood was strong. Whatever injured animal there was would see its last day.

The white wolf could make out a small lithe form 100 feet away. It looked like a young woman. He came to a sudden halt, his siblings halting behind him as well.

He turned around and gave a silent command to his siblings to stay back. He would investigate first.

Moving forward he saw a young man with his hands cuffed behind his back. The boy was unconscious and bleeding profusely. He couldn't even see what his face looked like, there was so much blood.

His brother and sister approached and began circling the body. This definitely wasn't what they anticipated. They couldn't take a human as a meal, they needed animal meat. His sister, a beautiful dark scarlet brown wolf, came forward.

Let's go, brother. We'll hunt somewhere else.

His brother, the black as the night wolf, came forward as well.

What about the human? I can feel he's alive. He's been beaten and stabbed.

The white wolf didn't notice that the boy had been stabbed, but when he looked again, he could see the slits in his shirt and the blood pouring from the wounds. His brother was right.

We leave him. Humans aren't our problem. We need to find food for the pack. Come, brothers! We leave now.

He didn't argue. She was right. Humans weren't their problem. But as he looked down at that fragile lithe form, he felt something needed to be done.

Brother! Come. Leave it be. We hunt!

Reluctantly, he turned and began running with his siblings again. They went in search for food once more.

-x-x-

*Shu-chan - Chan is a diminutive suffix; it expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. Thus, using chan with a superior's name would be condescending and rude.

*Caboose – The last car on a train. Was used for the employees. Now, it's just usually empty or used for storage.

Oh, I totally have an idea for the next part. Woot! Please, review? Thanks!