Author's Note: Everyone says this but I am truly sorry for the wait with the update! I was very busy but I wont bore you with the details! I updated another of my stories on fiction press first but this one is next! Enjoy! Thank you to Anime-Fangirl202 for being the only review thus far. I have a true love for this story and it seems you do too! Your comment about Ai Yazawa meant a lot to me! Enjoy!

~Lea Miles

Disclaimer: I do not own Nana or any of the characters.

Chapter Three
~I'm here waiting for you~

~Chapter 3~

~Hachiko's POV~

I replied to Takumi saying I'd be out visiting with my mother but might be asleep when he got home so he wouldn't be suspicious. I was a nervous wreck and I felt pathetic, the first time I'd see them in almost ten years and I was going to meet them asking for help. I sighed but as I walked past Satsuki's room I saw an unfamiliar tiny book with several subtle locks on it poking out from underneath her mattress. My heart sank when I realized it was a diary and from the looks of it she never wanted anyone to read it. I looked through her room quickly but neatly trying to think of where she might hide a key. I lifted her mattress to take the diary out then instinctively lifted it further and slid the fitted sheet off of the bottom. There was a tiny hole near the far corner of the underside of her mattress. I poked two fingertips into the hole and recovered the key.

I began to cry once I read what was inside.

"I hate when he hits my mom. I hate him. He is not my father. He makes mommy cry. He leaves marks on her where he thinks no one will see. He yells at her when he thinks I am asleep. He is a demon."

I flipped through several pages of spaced out writing, not every page was about him, but I found an entry from the night he first hit her.

"He hit me tonight. Mommy cried trying to make me stop crying. He left and slammed the door, he didn't come back until three o'clock in the morning and I heard him stumbling. I can't sleep. I hate him. He told me that when the kids at school ask what happened to my eye I am to tell them that I hurt myself at the park."

I didn't know she wrote so much more maturely than her age. I took the diary and put it in my purse along with the key. I forced myself to stop crying and cleaned under my eyes. I reapplied some make up in a hurry and headed to my car.

"Nana,

I don't deserve your kindness, thank
you so much. Can you meet me at the
café near the shop where we found the
strawberry glasses? In 20 minutes?

3 Hachiko"

~Nana's POV~

I read the text and smiled, "same old Hachi" I looked at Yasu "is Shin seriously hiding in the bathroom?" he nodded and we both chuckled. He put some cash on the table and stood "If I am needed, let me know" he put nearly three times as much as his tea and cookies cost, probably to cover Hachiko's order. He's so thoughtful. As casually as he could Nobu pulled Shin out of the bathroom and scolded him quietly with a funny irritated look on his face "look if she wants to see us she will message us" he drug a reluctant Shin out the front door and did a poor job of hiding his sadness. He always sort of wore his heart on his sleeve.

~Nobu's POV~

Shin said he was going to shop around for a gift for Hachiko's daughter… It was hard to imagine Hachi as a mother, not that she wouldn't be a good one, just that the last time I saw her, she was so young and so lost. I walked home with my hands in my pockets and watched my feet the whole way. I hated the way I felt, it made me dizzy. My hopes were high and my dread was massive, it made me anxious. I got home and fell onto my back on my bed only to get up and pace around staring at my phone waiting for even the smallest news. Why did I still feel so strongly about her? All I could picture was her face, a flood of memories lifted my heart but made me feel like I could drown in them. Her smile, her in her cooking apron… her curled into a ball sobbing, her hair shadowing the deep depression in her eyes… What if I only made her remember sadness?

~Shin's POV~

I walked past a few stores with my hands in my pockets, I crossed a street that was along the same side as the parking lot used for the café we had all met at so many times. What I saw next made my heart pound, walking in high-heel beige boots, a black skirt, a light pink shirt, and a thin beige trench coat, was Hachiko. Her hair was longer now and her face more thin and mature. 'Man, Nobu is so screwed when he lays his eyes on her.' She had a very nervous expression on her face and she speed walked toward the sidewalk leading toward the café. She didn't see me, I suppose her eyes were focused in front of her. I disappeared behind a car in the parking lot when I saw her start to turn around. She turned and leaned against a wall around the corner from the café and let out a deep breath, I assume trying to calm down. I smiled and it took a lot to keep from walking over to her and reassuring her that Nana was probably just as nervous to see her.

~Hachiko's POV~

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply for a minute, leaning against a wall just around the corner from the café where Nana said she was already at. I wondered if she would be alone, I swallowed hard at the thought of facing the whole group with such a problem as this. I shook my head lightly and regained my composure as best as I could.

As I walked in the door I looked around and felt myself smile when I saw Nana looking out a window. She still looked amazing. Her hair was just barely touching her shoulders now. She looked more feminine but still stood out, as it seemed she liked to. She wore the same jewelry she always had, a black leather coat, and I could see her knee-high black leather boots with the studs on them as I walked toward her. I felt my eyes begin to water but I fought it back. She turned to look at me once I was about two yards away then immediately stood up and pulled me into a hug. I lost the battle against my watery eyes when she squeezed me tighter and we held on for a few more seconds while a few tears just barely trickled down my face.

"You look as beautiful as I remember but you are still the same, Hachi." She said as she motioned for me to sit and sat as well. Hearing her voice say my nickname, which no one had said to me in so many years, was soothing and reassuring.

"You look even more beautiful than I remember Nana" I said quietly as I sat and placed my purse next to me.

She leaned over the table with her hands in small fists on the table, she suddenly looked very protective and defensive, "What is wrong?"

I pursed my lips together composing my thoughts so it wouldn't all spill out at once and I closed my eyes to avoid crying. "It's Takumi," I paused hating the feeling of his name on my lips "he… he hit my daughter, he hit my Satsuki" a tear freed itself from my eye. I hadn't told anyone, and I hadn't heard it aloud until I spoke it. It hurt so much more when it wasn't only in my mind.

Nana looked so angry, I had hoped she wasn't angry with me. Her face then became very serious "What is it that you think you should do?" she closed her eyes tightly. It seemed that she didn't want to say that, but made herself act calmly.

"Satsuki despises him. There is no longer any reason to be anywhere near him." I looked out the window not knowing if I wanted to see her reaction to what I said.

"Hachiko, you were staying with Takumi because of your daughter? That is the only reason?" she questioned not showing very much emotion. It was as if she wanted my answer to be completely honest.

I didn't even think for a moment before answering, "It has been ten years. I wanted out nine years ago. He still hasn't stopped… being him" I found myself unable to admit his abuse.

I felt her relief as she sighed and smiled softly, looking into my eyes "Get what you need and meet me tomorrow night in front of our old apartment building. Bring Satsuki obviously. I have a surprise for both of you. Do you think you can get out safely?"

My heart jumped when she so boldly had a plan, I didn't want to be taken care of so extensively, I didn't want to be a burden… "Are you sure about this Nana? I wasn't expecting anything of this extent…"

She grinned at me "Silly Hachi, you still have a hard time letting others do things for you."

I felt my lighter and thought it over for a few minutes making sure to smile at her so she knew how happy that had made me. "I can sneak Satsuki out with me tonight. When Takumi starts to snore, he won't even wake up to an alarm clock." I strategized aloud.

She smiled sympathetically with a tinge of worry in her eyes, "Call me if anything goes wrong" she paused and grabbed my hand on the table softly. "and Hachi, if he so much as threatens you from now on. Call me and I will be there."

Her face was filled with concern but she was serious and livid when she thought spoke his name. A few more tears fell down my face as I nodded silently promising I would do as she said. I got a mail from Takumi saying that Satsuki was tired so they were heading home earlier than expected and to have dinner ready. I glared at the phone then looked up at Nana my fear beginning to take over my thoughts. "I am so sorry but I have to get going. He will be home soon and is expecting dinner. If he finds out I was visiting with you he would surely lose it, I wish we could visit more. I will meet you tomorrow night, I will call you when I leave." I rushed through my words as I stood up getting my purse off of the seat. She stood and I hugged her first this time and whispered trying to hold back my emotions "Thank you so much Nana."

"You should know I could never be mad at you by now Hachi. I only wish I could have helped sooner…" she said with sadness in her voice.

~Nana's POV~

As she walked out the front door and hurried away looking nervous I took out my phone and sent a mail explaining her situation to the others. Nobu didn't reply, Shin replied with dots and a face of some sort, and Yasu replied with a phone call. He always was the personable type with me. "I was right Yasu. Except that the bastard finally hit his own daughter!" I hissed as I picked up the extra forty dollars deciding it was much too large a tip and planning to give it back to Yasu. He sighed, "Poor girl, so what did she need help with?" he asked seemingly unsure if she had planned to leave him or not. "Meet me at the old apartment Hachi and I shared, I need your help preparing things." Before he could question me I hung up and headed toward the apartment.

~Nobu's POV~

I felt the sweat drip down my shirtless body, my hands where hot from the insulation of my gloves. The lights were low with the exception of the light above my target. I wiped the sweat drops from my forehead and bounced back and fourth twice, light on my feet as always.

Jab, Jab, uppercut, roundhouse kick, punch, jab, jab, roundhouse, uppercut, crescent kick 'to the back of the head' I thought of him.

I was faster and angrier than ever before. I breathed smoothly and exhaled as I moved. If I ever saw his face, I wouldn't leave until it was bloody. My phone went off and I hesitated to read the next mail Nana had sent me, 'if I were any more pissed I might go find him' I thought. I decided to read it anyway

"I need another pair of guy arms! I don't want Yasu throwing his back out! Get over to the old apartment! ~Nana"

I raised an eyebrow but replied "k" and showered quickly to avoid hearing her complain about my sweatiness and headed there wondering why she was messing with that old place. She thought it was a secret but Ren told me about her buying the apartment.

What could Nana be doing?! =D

Sorry if it was a bit drawn out, I just wanted to add detail! R&R please! I really need some encouragement to continue!