Powdered Sugre 2
Even Old Wounds Can Bleed
Ryo went up the stairs silent as he looked for Rain. Bikky stood staring owl eyed at him from the bathroom doorway. "I tried to wake him for school this morning, but..." Ryo smiled at Bikky letting him know that he understood. Ryo tapped on Rain's door to find the young man in bed with his head under a pillow.
"I know you are half native, what's the other half, ostrich?" Ryo said his voice soft as he sat beside the slight, prone form. Slyph sat up in the bed, her large paw on Rain's back making him seem smaller by comparison of the large cat. Ryo constantly had to remind himself, when he saw them next to each other, that Rain was not that small, Slyph was not a regular house cat. "You want breakfast?" Ryo asked he breathed deep when Rain shook his head and pulled his blanket up over his head. "Want to talk?" The bump of blanket known as Rain shook again. "When you're ready," Ryo said gently as he left Rain alone.
"How is he?" Dee asked seeing Ryo at the top of the stairs.
"We knew today would be difficult," Ryo said heading down his hand trailing along the banister. Dee caught the hand and raised it to his lips. Ryo blushed and looked to the hall stand where a vase of fresh flowers sat. Even after all this time, Dee still sent him bouquets. "He needs time." Ryo said when Bikky stepped out rubbing a towel over his long, blond hair.
"I'm staying here too," Bikky trudged downstairs after Ryo. Dee looked at Bikky making sure that the teen was not just trying to get out of going to school. At the pained look in his eyes, he saw that he truly was having a hard time. "Some anniversaries are not meant to be remembered, and damned hard to forget... sorry, Ryo." Bikky muttered an apology for his potty mouth.
"I mean," Dee said sitting at the table. "We all knew this day would come." Dee sipped the coffee. "I thought he was better."
"Three hundred-sixty-four days of the year he can be fine, but today, let him reflect." Ryo said as he looked at the calender and realized that one year ago today, a murderer had violated a terrified child and killed his mother.
"Ryo," Bikky said standing in the doorway in his pajamas. Ryo looked to see what Bikky was offering him. Ryo stared at the picture of Rain laying in bed tears streaming down his face Slyph beside him as if on guard. "I drew it last night. He did not even wake up when I walked in his room. I wanted one of him sleeping for a project for my art class, but, I think I will try again some other time."
A silent nod was all Ryo could manage as he went to prepare a small breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon. Though he was not sure if Rain would come down, Ryo prepared his tea with a chagrined smile as he thought back to when Rain had begun to drink the herbal mixture and why. Thinking over the past year, he remembered how his heart had melted the first time he had heard Rain sing. The bravery Rain had showed when he had agreed to take the stand against William Johnston. Even thinking the name Ryo felt anger. True he had forgiven the monster, but just the thought of the brutish man hurting Rain... Ryo realized that he had fried the egg in his hand while it was still in it's shell. With an embarrassed blush he dropped the smoking egg into the sink to run it under cold water, then he tossed it into the garbage.
Ryo was just setting table with Bikky when Slyph brushed against his leg on her way to the backyard. Ryo looked down in shock sure the creature would not leave Rain when he was upset. Ryo looked up at the stairs and saw Rain slouching down in his overlarge pajamas. Ryo never questioned Rain's desire to wear his pajamas, they had to be a pair he had worn before. Over the pajamas Rain wore a overlarge sweatshirt that looked like it might belong to Dee. Ryo grinned thinking that it would take a doctor hours to find little Rain underneath all his clothes, then it hit him. And he looked away to offer a chair to the troubled teen. All this time Rain had struggled. Bikky said he often freaked in the locker room and dress in a stall. Ryo thought he was a experiencing shyness, now he understood all too well. Rain always wore overlarge clothes, a direct contrast to his form tailored uniform of West Lake High school. Even for formal gatherings Rain's clothes were a bit baggy on him giving him a cute, impish look.
"How do you want your eggs?" Ryo asked Rain offering a smile.
"Scrambled with cheese, please and thank you," Rain said with a smile. "Thank you Ryo, Dee, and Bikky." Rain leaned over to place a kiss on Lyo's cheek. "And thank you too."
"Rain funny," Lyo said smacking his lips and blowing a kiss at Rain.
"I called HQ," Dee said emerging from the den.
"How about after breakfast you teach me how to play that thing," Ryo said indicating the Playstation 2 that Bikky had. Rain nodded and began to eat his breakfast just as Slype and Cujo rejoined them from their morning patrol of the backyard. Cujo gave Bikky an odd look, then lay at his feet. Bikky understood that the dog had something to tell him.
Break
Lord D stretched languidly in bed then rolled over snuggling deeper into the pillow that carried the scent of JJ. Sitting up he meandered, quite nude, to the closet for a fresh robe, then carried the garment to the bathroom where he began to prepare a bath. He mentally checked his sons and saw that they would sleep for another hour yet. Lord D went to the mirror and reached for his comb, his eyes caught his reflection and he gasped aloud dropping the brush from nerveless fingers. He stared in horror at the bloody gashes on his cheeks, both eyes were blackened and welts were all over his body. "No..." Lord D sobbed backing away from the mirror he dropped down to his bottom on the floor bringing his knees up to his chest he wrapped his arms around the lean legs and rocked back and forth sobbing. "Not again, no more." Lord D lowered his head as his body trembled. "Just leave me alone."
Break
The chief stared at JJ with a deep frown creasing his brow. "You mean to tell me that all of a sudden, your stomach started to hurt?" The chief looked to see that JJ kept looking at his wedding band with a grimace on his face. "First MaClean and Laytner, now you. I tell you if Orcot comes in here with some excuse... get the heck out of here," The chief blustered. Though the detective's lifestyle bothered him, no way could he fault his work, none of them, in fact they were to be commended. JJ nodded and rushed from the office hoping that his stomach pains would end when he got home. He had never had this happen when Lord D was distressed. His ring was uncomfortable, but not painful. Did that mean that Lord D was in no real danger?
JJ called out when he entered the house, he heard no sound and went to check on the boys. He saw them both in their little beds sleeping sound. He then went into his bedroom and found their bed empty. JJ saw the bathroom door ajar and he went inside to find Lord D huddled in the corner sobbing. "Darling?" JJ said softly. He gasped when Lord D looked up and he saw that he had been crying for some time.
"Don't look at me," Lord D said ducking his head and hiding his face behind a curtain of hair.
"Well how can I look at your beauty?" JJ said crouching down and placing a hand on Lord D's.
"What beauty?" JJ almost did not understand the muffled reply. "He took it," Lord D sobbed.
"Who?" JJ asked, he he got no answer he pulled Lord D to his feet and stood him in front of the mirror. Moving the hair aside he stood behind Lord D and wrapped his arms around the chilled nude form. Lord D lifted his face with JJ's hand under his chin and gasped when he saw that there was not a single blemish on his skin.
"But, this morning," Lord D looked down at his unmarred flesh. "All over, there were bruises, I saw them."
"Did you feel them?" JJ asked as his cramps lessened with Lord D in his arms.
"I... No," Lord D looked again at his body then sobbed. "It was an illusion," Lord D said horrified. "How can he enter our home? Father... He has shields."
"I don't know, why don't we call him and find out?" JJ said moving away from the mirror he tested the water and saw that it was still warm. Adding more hot water he sat Lord D in the tub then went to make the call. Whatever was going on had to end soon. He was not sure how much more Lord D could take.
Break
Count D sat with his hands resting on his tummy. It was so small, this life growing inside of him. So precious. He was smiling when the chime over the shop alerted him to a customer. Count D stood to his feet using the voluminous folds of his garments to hide his expanding figure. "Welcome, how can I..." Count D backed away when he recognized his visitor.
"Please," The beauty said extending a hand to him. "Do not be alarmed, I tried to stay away, but I can not." She moved her dark hair from her eyes as tears fell onto her smooth cheeks. "You are all so beautiful, and you are my family... I just had to come see you."
"Helen," Count D backed further away thankful that Aoi was in the garden with the Honlon.
"I was told that Hermione, I mean, Lady Aurora could be found here, with her husband." Helen said taking her hand back when Count D did not move an inch toward her.
"I want you to know," Helen stiffened and Count D breathed a sigh of relief at the slightly hissed words that came from behind him as Lady Aurora approached as mist, her form solidifying before their eyes. "That I bear no attachment to who I was before I died and mother is just a word to me. I will not hesitate to peel the skin from your hide if you dare lay a hand on my grandson."
"Even if it is a hand of love," Helen met her estranged daughter's cold, crystal glare with honesty. "I would like to try again. I know I have done wrong in the past, I know an apology is several hundred years too late. But I would like to know you and your offspring."
"Child," Lady Aurora said drawing attention to Lord D and his sons. Feeling lonely with JJ at work, Lord D had arrived at the shop moments after Helen. Hiding his sons, he moved to help Count D only to hear his mother come to the rescue. "I smelled your sweet scent the moment you entered the shop." Aurora said when Lord D wondered how she had known he was there. "You can not be inconspicuous when you smell like a bakery." Lord D blushed a becoming shade of pink. He had not been to a bakery, it was his natural scent ever since he had connected to D. JJ even remarked on his heightened smell. "Tell me this creature's heart." Helen flinched at the malice she could hear in Aurora's cold tone.
"It is the same mother," Lord D said coming around to stand in front of Helen sending Kiba and Shinrai off with Ten-Chan. The nine tailed fox took the small boys and handed each them one of his tails and led them down the hall to the Honlon's garden.
"The same?" Aurora asked watching as Kiba narrowly missed a crystal vase on a stand that sparkled with gold and jewels. The flowers inside were blood red and fragrant. Redolent with life, wafting down the hall making her hungry. Aurora suppressed the urge to feed and looked at her son.
"Yes, when we were held in Greece, she protected me. Because I am her grandson she said. Her emotions were and are in turmoil. There is genuine love, yet confusion as well but there is no enmity."
"How are you able to do that?" Helen asked Lord D. He gave her one of his more beautiful smiles and moved on to Count D.
"You are well?" Lord D placed a hand on D's stomach he closed his eyes a moment then sighed. "Yes, you are."
"I can speak ChiChiUe," Count D groused as he had prepared to answer his father.
"I know, I am sorry," Lord D removed his hand. "Will you join us for tea?" Lord D asked Helen. "The young ones will be taking a nap soon." Helen stared at her family not believing that they would accept her so readily.
"I've got my eye on you," Lady Aurora said sitting with her arms crossed as she stared at the woman that bore her. Well, Helen sighed, not so readily.
Break
"Ugh," Jill groaned looking away from the corpse. They had received a call from a worried neighbor that she had not seen Mr. Burroughs in over a week. "Such a young man, nice really, I do wonder about him though." The old lady had said. Jill and Leon had prepared to go awaken the young man, or find that he had simply went on vacation without telling his neighbor every detail of his life. Finding him on the floor with foam out of his eyes and nose and mouth left a sour feel in the pit of her stomach. "Looks like an overdose, of what?" Jill shrugged her shoulders as she bagged a sample of powder that she could see near his face.
"Look at his lips Jill," Leon said crouching low careful not to disturb the scene too much. "They look distressed, and his expression, like he was forced to do this." with a gloved hand, Leon pushed the man's sleeve up. "No track marks, which mean nothing if he snorted the stuff." Leon took a pen and light to look up the man's nose. "Intact," he sighed and got to his feet. "He either was a first timer and decided to eat the stuff, or it was shoved down his throat." Leon frowned as he moved aside for the coroner's office to take the body. "Who would bother?" He and Jill left the office to begin the leg work of what promised to be a very interesting case. "Too bad this guy doesn't have fish that would testify." Ignoring the odd look he got from Detective Jones, Leon smirked and headed back to the precinct.
Break
Bikky slouched out to the mailbox with his bathrobe hanging open and his pajamas still on from early. It was well past noon, yet still his family lounged around, taking it easy. Rain had even smiled while he taught Ryo the basics of a quest game. The two of them had then proceeded to spend hours riding dragons and rescuing princesses. Bikky had agreed to clean up the kitchen while they played. Cujo stood beside him looking up. "What is it boy?" Bikky asked as he went back inside with a bundle of mail.
"Someone was in the yard last night," Cujo barked. "The same scent from before. I could not catch him then, but this time, I will..." Cujo vowed scampering into the den ahead of Bikky his tail wagging.
"Thanks," Dee said as Ryo and Rain came over. "Light bill, gas bill," Dee said sitting each one on the hall table. "Health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, cell phone, and house line, Fan letter," Dee handed the envelope addressed to Rain. "Love letter," Dee gave Bikky a letter from Carol. Even though the two lived in the same town and saw each other often, Carol had decided that she would be a fan of Bikky's as well so that he would not get to carried away with the girls that followed after him when he was on tour. "Art smock magazine," Dee handed this to Bikky as well. "Plant Life Magazine," Dee handed this to Rain. "You really are an odd man," Dee said as he gave Ryo his gun catalog.
"Shut up Dee," Ryo took his magazine. "Better than that Men's monthly," He pointed to the magazine that Dee held.
Dee then handed Ryo another large envelope. "An offer for our family to listen to a sales pitch for a resort in the Bahama's." Holding the letter Ryo frowned then dropped the ashes into a nearby garbage pail. They were all laughing as Rain gasped and dropped the letter he had received, tears gathered in his eyes and he fell to his bottom on the carpet. "Rain?" Dee asked crouching next to him, just as Ryo and Bikky did the same.
"Why won't he just leave me alone?" Rain said as he stared at the letter from Thomas Hughes.
"He wrote to you from jail, cause he knows I can't get to him," Bikky said as he ripped into the letter. Just as he was about to rip it to shreds he read a few lines. "I would have called, you have your number in the book. It was written there as a reminder for you when you first got your cell. I am sure you have forgotten that it is there. What I mean is... I am sorry. I read the journal and it was hard to read at first, no, the whole way through was a difficult journey. You are brave to have recounted it all, let alone forgiven me for tormenting you. A pastor has been here talking to me and some of the prisoners, it is what gave me the courage to write to you. I hope that this finds you well. I saw your concert, you really are talented. I admire you. He says that the kind of forgiveness that you displayed stems from the kind of love I should seek out. I have been trying, I just wanted to thank you for forgiving me, and to say to you and your family, that I am sorry," Bikky stopped reading and looked up at Rain and then Ryo and Dee. Rain held tight to Dee's arms as tears continued to fall down his face. Dee lifted the slight form and carried him to the couch where he sat with him in his lap next to Lyo who napped on the couch.
Slyphe crawled on Dee's legs making him grimace at her weight and claws where they scratched him through his sweat pants. She buried her large head in Rain's tummy then licked his cheek. "I'm okay, girl," Rain said losing his fingers in her dense fur. "I'm okay."
To Be Continued