No one else recognized the voice from anywhere but whatever it was made Mantear freeze mid-stride, a look of absolute terror on her face that gave Kawino and Cady a pretty good idea of the owner as an older man and woman they haven't seen before made their way over.

The man was well built especially for his age with short silver hair. The woman had a similar build but slightly more feminine with her sliver hair pulled back from her wrinkled but stern face. "Looks like you've grown up quite a bit," the woman said, voice drained of emotion as she turned to the rest of the group, "and who do we have here?"

"These...these are my kids and their loved ones."

"No, really. Who are they?"

"I just told you who they are," she said.

"There's no way someone as useless as yourself actually got someone to do that with her."

"These are my children and you are not to touch them!" Mantear added having promised herself never to let anyone hurt either of them again.

"Oh we won't," the man said running his hand down her arm almost lovingly but then clasped his fist around it like a vice. "As long as they don't get in our way."

"They won't. You leave them alone."

"Well then, let's just get you somewhere less public," the man said, before dragging her away.

Kawino stared then turned to the others. "We need to follow them," he said. He and Cady followed them and though confused and shocked, the others did as well.

They darted and weaved through several people before reaching a deserted clearing surrounded by buildings. They stayed out of view for now though as Mantear struggled against the man's grip that was still around her arm. "Sir, please, you don't need to do this."

"Of course, I do, with the way you were speaking to me. Clearly you've forgotten how to show respect!" he growled and punched her with full force at the bone right below her left eye. She fell to the ground but didn't scream out. "Get up, you worthless piece of shit!" he shouted, kicking her in the ribs.

She stumbled to her feet. "I-I'm sorry, Sir." Mantear stammered fearfully seeming more like a child again. The spot below her eye already started to swell.

"Sorry isn't good enough," he said aiming another kick at her.

The kick connected to her side and almost knocking her back down but she managed to catch herself this time. "Enough!" Kawino shouted dangerously, coming into view.

The man growled and told the woman, "Nefandus, handle her stupid son!"

"Of course, listen brat we have every right to discipline our daughter!" she said, swinging for a punch to his head

Kawino managed to duck the punch. "She's a grown woman and even if she wasn't what you've done isn't discipline! She told me everything! You've…!" Before he could finish his rant, Nefandus successfully landed a punch to his jaw. Kawino stumbled but only barely however that seemed to be a snapping point.

"You Bitch! Get away from him!" Mantear shouted landing an impactful right hand to her father and sprinting past him towards her mother. Mantear tackled her to the ground sending multiple hits to her mother's face backed by every bit of hatred she held.

Kawino was stunned at his mother's attack, but shook it off in time to stop her father from getting to her. He stepped in front of the older man and landed a swift kick to the man's jaw. The man fell back but got back up clutching his jaw. "This isn't your fight, Boy," he growled aiming a punch at Kawino.

"Yes it is." Kawino said ducking and landing several shots to the ribs.

"You can't possibly know what you're getting into," the father couched out and sent a kick to Kawino's side which he caught before it connected and yanked it up landing his grandfather flat on his back.

"You'd be surprised."

"You're better than I thought boy."

"I've had lots of practice," Kawino said and stomped on his stomach. He felt at least on rib crack. Out of the corner of his eye, Kawino saw Nefandus pass out from the sustained punching but Mantear didn't stop, not that he blamed her. She'll beat her to death given the chance though.

Kawino gave one more stomp and then headed over and pulled her off. "Calm down please." He said. "Mom, if you kill her you could get shot!" Kawino said and it was not the reminder but him calling her 'Mom' that snapped her out of it.

"You...you called me mom." She said gently as she stopped struggling to get back to them.

"You just stood up to your worst nightmare to save me. I think you've earned it."

"I didn't want them or anyone hurting you. I had promised myself that night that I would never let anyone hurt you again."

"Well...thank you." He said hugging her.

She was certainly pleasantly surprised and did return the hug. "You're welcome. I'm sorry, Kawino, for everything."

"I know and...I think we'll be okay now."

They separated and Kawino touched his fingers to the forming bruise below her eye then down to her ribcage haven't noticed the same wheeze he did on Clove only worse. "Kawino, I'm okay."

"No you're hurt." Kawino said gently.

"Not too bad. I'm fine," she said, as the others came out those who didn't know finding it all hard to believe.

"Come on, we'll get you rested."

"You were abused?" Clove asked coming over to Mantear.

Mantear sighed there now being no way around it. "Yes, exactly the same as what we did to Kawino."

"I can't believe it."

"Drusus found out a while before we got married. He was really nice and helpful about it at first but once I was already pregnant I found out that he thought it was a good idea and I guess I was still easy to manipulate. That and I was afraid."

"I...I'm sorry." Clove said.

"She didn't have anyone as a child, Clover," Kawino told her. "I had all you guys but she was all alone. I can't even imagine that."

"Well... I suppose."

"We need to get out of here," Mantear said hastily changing the subject. "We need to be gone by the time they wake up."

"We do? Why?" Cady asked.

"Because they won't be happy and will probably attack again if we're still here."

"Good point I suppose, let's go then."

As they headed back Clove turned the new information over and over in her head. It was to say the very least shocking. That left the real question though, did that make it okay? Better at least? It certainly seemed to for Kawino but she wasn't as sure.

She kept quiet as they walked. She looked over at Cato and Enobaria saying nothing. "Clover, are you okay?"

"It's a lot to process."

"Yeah, I bet."

"I'll just need some time to think it all over."

"Okay." Kawino sighed.

"As if you accepted it when you first found out," Cady reminded him.

"I know, I know."

"You don't want to know," Cady said to Clove.

"Not really no."

"It was really bad."

"Yes, it was it was terrible."

"Not gonna ask."

"It'd be awkward to explain."

"Seems it would."

"Just think on it okay?"

"I will."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"I never thought things would change this much either."

"When did you find out about this?"

"A few days ago."

"Cady found out first then though it would be a step in the right direction to tell me."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Which as you can tell it did but not before taking a step in the wrong one."

"What do you mean?"

"It did the impossible and made things worse."

"How did it do that?"

"Because it means that she knew exactly what she was putting me through and should have known better."

"That's true though."

"Yes but there's more to it than that."

"Is there?"

"Yes, as I said the first time, she was afraid."

"And that makes it okay?"

"I can understand that. It's hard to if you haven't been through it yourself but that constant fear of punishment, no matter where you are or who you're with never goes away and it never leaves you alone. It fuels your nightmares and fills your every waking thought and the second it finds a reason, it swallows you whole shoving any logical thought out the window."

"That sounds awful," Clove said.

"That's putting it extremely lightly."

"I just...I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to be said."

Clove sighed deciding to stay silent. When she thought about it though. She had noticed that a lot with Kawino at least since his freedom and one thing she noticed was he was happy and forgiving and after all, shouldn't he have been the hardest. Then there's still the fact that as he said, she just finally stood up to them to save him where she wouldn't for herself which does clearly show that she does care now.

So really things were okay now weren't they? She'll really have to think about that one tonight. "I guess shopping will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's best for everyone."

"We can all just rest."

"You two certainly need it."

"Kawino needs it more."

"Mom, you seriously do. I can tell a rib's broken." Kawino said seriously.

"It's nothing I can't deal with."

"If I need to, so do you."

"Fine, I suppose so."

"You promise you will?"

"Yes, I promise. Don't worry," she said, smiling a little.

"Good, just like the medicine."

"Yes just like the medicine."

"Medicine?" Clove asked.

"Yeah, I gave her some of my pills. She needed them just as much as I did."

"Really?" Clove asked her mother had always seemed fit for her age anyway.

"She wore padded clothing. I saw what she looked like under them. No different than I did really."

"I didn't know that."

"Of course you didn't. That would have defeated the point."

"Seems like I missed a lot of things." She sighed.

"We all missed it until I tried to punch her in the gut and was met with it," Cady pointed out.

"Wait, you tried to punch her?"

"Can you blame me?"

"No, I really can't."

"Well, yes I did."

"And that's how you noticed?"

"Exactly."

"Do you trust her?"

"Not a hundred percent but to an extent, yes."

"Well, that's a good sign."

"After today it seems obvious to me at least."

"I just...I don't know." She sighed

"I know. It's hard. Especially when the victim was actually your sibling."

"I just feel like it can't be this easy."

"Well, it isn't."

"So what do I do?"

"Think hard about it. Come to your own conclusion."

"Okay."

"Really all that can be done."

"I suppose."

"Everyone's entitled to their own answer and no one would blame you for saying no."

"Kawino might," Clove said.

"What makes you think that?"

"He forgave her he'll feel I have no right not to."

Cady shook her head. "Kawino would never think that. Not about you."

"You seem so sure."

"That's because I am. Kawino still loves you more than anything or anyone. You're still the girl he put up with all of that to protect."

"Yeah, and he should hate and resent me for it."

"Not even in the slightest."

"Why not?"

"Why should he?"

"I never helped him."

"As much as YOU hated it, you did exactly what he wanted you to do, which is nothing. He just wanted you to stay blissfully ignorant and out of the way so you wouldn't get hurt, too."

"Me not noticing though makes me a bad sister."

"He and also they did everything to make sure you didn't. Kawino would never think of you as one."

"I do though."

"Well, you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No you're not. You had no way of knowing."

"There were signs."

"Only if you're looking for them."

"Not really, there were some that should have been obvious."

"Stuff like that never even comes to mind as a possibility." Clove just sighed. "Just don't be so hard on yourself."

"How can I not?"

"Because you're not. You're the only one who thinks so."

"I deserve it."

"Everyone but obviously Kawino's in that mood right now, blaming themselves for what happened."

"It's not your guys fault."

"It's not yours. Besides, I DID know and didn't do anything about it."

"You were told not to do anything."

"I was told not to tell anyone. There must have been something else I could have done and if doing what you're told is a viable excuse then just go ahead and forgive Mantear now."

"I don't know I'm just...conflicted."

"That's to be expected."

"I suppose it is."

"Anyone would be."

"I just...I should rest I think."

"That's why we're all headed home. Well, so everyone can."

"Right, right."

"It will help."

"Yeah, let's hope so."

"It should."

"What are you two talking about?" Kawino asked.

"She's blaming herself again and is worried you'd be mad if she doesn't forgive her."

"Oh, I see, Clover I would never be mad at you."

"You forgave her. I don't really have a right not to."

"It's a decision that only you can make," he said.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"No I wouldn't, it's up to you."

"I don't know."

"Well, think about it."

"I can't stop."

"I mean calmly."

"That's hard."

"Not impossible though."

"I'll try."

"Good, maybe you need alone time?"

"Would probably be best."

"Okay, then you can be alone when we get home."

"Okay, sounds good."

"Maybe take a nap?"

"I think I will."

He smiled and hugged her. "Just know I will always love you, Clover. No matter what you do."

"Thanks, Kawino; that really helps."

"I'm glad I could."

She smiled as they arrived back home. "You're going to rest right?" Clove asked Kawino.

"Yes, I promise."

"Good and I will, too."

"Good."

She gave him a quick hug before headed off to her room.

Kawino smiled after her and headed to his own room where he found his mother waiting at the door. "Mom? What are you doing?"

"I wanted to talk to you," she said gently.

"Okay, about what?"

"About everything." She sighed.

"Okay."

"If you want that is."

"We can," he nodded.

"Thank you," she said opening the door. They headed into the room sitting down on his bed. "I need to start off by saying I'm sorry."

"I know, and despite how bad things obviously were, part of me understands why you did it and I can forgive you or at least I really really want to. I think they might be the same thing."

"You deserved a better parent."

"Definitely not going to deny that but I have that now."

"Maybe, but I feel like I owe you so much more."

"Well, nothing that I can think of."

"It's just if there is ever anything I can do please let me know."

"Okay, I will."

She hugged him smiling slightly. Though it took a second, he did return the hug. "I am sorry I failed you for so long," she said.

"I know. We can make it better now though."

"Yes we can and we will."

"I believe it."

"Okay, I should rest."

"Yes, you should."

"You too."

"I will. I promise." She nodded and let him go. "Good night, Mom."

"Good night, Son." Kawino gave a small but genuine smile lying down on the bed.

She left and Cady came in right after. She peaked in seeing if he was awake. "I can see you Cady."

She blushed a little then came in the rest of the way. "I was just wondering...I mean...can I lay with you?"

"Sure, of course." He nodded scotching over. She smiled and climbed in beside him. He wrapped his arm around her glad to have his girlfriend, something he never thought he could have, with him. She cuddled into his side kissing his cheek. "I think I'm starting to understand what you see in me," he whispered.

"Really?" She asked hopefully

"Yes, really."

"That's great to hear." She said smiling at him.

"I figured as much."

"You deserve it."

"Thank you for always believing so."

"It was no trouble."

"Still, it means a lot to me."

"I'm glad it helped."

"I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Well, you'll never have to know."

"I know and I'm glad."

"I hope I can do more to help you."

"That doesn't seem possible."

"Well, we'll see."

"If anyone can do it. You can."

"I will try."

"I have no doubt about that but you already do so much," he said, holding her close.

She smiled nose to nose with him. "Believe me there is more I could do," she said.

"Like one?"

"Oh, there is plenty, though I am not sure you're willing to go that far yet for one." She said kissing him gently.

"And what's that?" Kawino asked after the kiss.

"It's something very...intimate that couples do." She said carefully.

"Hmm… tell me more."

"Well..." She trailed not sure where to start.

"Hard to explain?"

"Yeah it is." She said. "Well…" she started trying to think of how to start it. "You know that thing you pee out of?"

"Yeah?" He asked confused.

"Well, that's not the only thing it's used for," Cady said and proceeded to explain the non-T stuff on sex.

"Oh wow..." Kawino said after a pause.

"So, yeah… that's what it is."

"Oh... okay I see."

"It sounds painful but I heard it's actually rather pleasurable."

"It is?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't done it before but from what I've heard."

"Where did you learn all this?" he asked.

"It's pretty common knowledge actually."

"Oh...it is?"

"Yeah, but you had no way of knowing."

"I suppose so... did you want to? I mean..." he stammered.

"If you do…"

"I would be willing to try it, but only if you want to."

"I do." She nodded.

"You're sure?" He asked carefully given what he had been told.

"Yes, I'm sure. Are YOU sure?"

"Yeah, I think I am, if either of us changes our mind we can stop right?"

"Of course."

"Okay," he said, nodding and kissing her gently.

A while later Kawino and Cady lay panting, and wrapped in sheets and each other, but with wide smiles. "That was amazing," Kawino breathed.

"Yes it was." Cady agreed, cuddled into his side.

"We might have to do that again sometime."

"We will definitely have to do that again," Cady said.

"I look forward to it." He nodded keeping his arm around her.

"Me too." She smiled and gave a yawn draping an arms and a leg over him like a body pillow. "I think I'll stay here tonight." She said kissing his cheek.

"Sounds good to me," Kawino smiled.

"Good, I would hate to lose my pillow." She giggled.

"So, I'm a pillow now?"

"Just for me," she said, smiling.

"Well… okay."

"You don't really mind do you?" she asked, stroking his cheek as he turned to look at her.

"Well, no I don't."

"I'm glad, because I have a habit of cuddling with my pillows." She said bringing herself closer so they were pressed against each other and kissing him.

"I'm glad to be your pillow then." She smiled and tangled together like that they both drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Clove yawned as she woke. She sat up looking around. Her room was peacefully quiet as the morning light streamed in through the window she found Cato lying beside her awake, but waiting for her to wake. "Good morning, Cato." She smiled.

"Good morning Clover. Sleep well?" he asked.

"Well, not really actually."

"Really, why not?"

"Too busy of a mind."

"Oh right." He sighed hugging her.

"What do you think about it all, Cato?"

"Well, I think you could forgive after yesterday. It doesn't make up for everything, but it's a start."

"Would you if it had been Cady?"

"Well, yeah, I would still keep an eye on them, but I would give it a chance."

"Well, I guess you do have some good points there."

"If she violates the trust then you go back to not trusting her."

"Of course, and then never again."

"Exactly," Cato said.

"No third chances."

"Of course not."

"Okay, I can do that."

Cato smiled, "I'm glad to hear it, I'm sure the others will be, too."

"Thank you, Cato." She smiled and hugged him.

"No problem, now I think we should tell the others. Don't you?"

Clove nodded. "Yes we should."

"Who first her or Kawino?"

"Kawino first."

"Alright, let's go then." Clove nodded getting up.

She lead the way out of her room and too Kawino's as she opened the door there was an odd smell in the air and looking beside the bed she noticed a set of clothes underwear and... a bra. She saw Cady snuggled up to him wearing only the covers.

She backed out slowly her jaw dropped and softly closed the door behind her. She shook her head laughing a little bit too surprised to even think about being mad or grossed out. "I don't believe it."

"What?" Cato asked confused as she hadn't opened the door enough for him to see

"You don't want to know."

"I don't?" He asked confused.

"Kawino and Cady... had sex."

"The...they did seriously?"

"Undoubtedly," Clove said, looking back at the closed door.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked.

"Positive, you can take a look if you really want. The covers at least cover everything."

"No, I don't think I want to see my little sister in that state this is just...surprising."

"I know." Clove sighed.

"So...what do we do here?" He asked awkwardly.

"Well, I suppose we just wait for them to wake up."

"Maybe we could tell her first then," Clove said.

"Yeah, give them time to wake up."

"So, to her room then?"

"Yeah, please." So they headed there.

Fortunately all they found there was her mother reading a book as she lay on her bed. Clove stood there silently at first trying to figure out what to call her but Mantear noticed her before she decided. "Hello Clover," she said, closing the book.

"Hello Mother. I thought a lot about what happened."

"Yes, I thought you might be."

"Well, I decided that, all things considered, you deserve to be trusted."

"Really?!" She asked hopefully.

"Really, but you do ANYTHING to betray that trust and there will be no third chances."

"Of course, I swear I won't."

"Then yes, really."

"Thank you, Clove."

"You're welcome. You've shown that you clearly care about his safety now."

"Yes I do and yours too."

"Would you have done that if it had been me instead?"

"What do you mean?"

"If she had hit me."

"Yes, I would have."

"Well, that is good to know then. Thank you."

"It's my pleasure."

"It seems too easy."

"What does?"

"Just, this."

"Forgiving me?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know what to say to that."

"Well, I do though. It just doesn't seem like it should."

"Some things can be easier than we expect."

"Well, I guess this proved that. I'm sorry you had to go through that. No one deserves that."

"No, no one does but thank you."

"I could never even imagine what you and Kawino went through."

"I would rather you didn't."

"I have the feeling I don't want to."

"You really don't."

"It would help to understand though."

"I could tell you about it."

"Well, I understand what happened physically but I want to better understand the lasting effects on you both."

"Well, okay where do you want to start?"

"Well, I noticed that no matter what you're both always so insistent that you're fine but so quick to call on when someone else isn't, even each other."

"We were taught to never really show pain, and to help those we needed be alright."

"As in if you had shown pain when still in that situation you would have just been hurt more?"

"Yeah, that was the idea."

"So, it comes back to the fear of punishment Kawino was talking about."

"Always afraid of punishment."

"It must be terrible to be constantly thinking about that."

"It really is."

"And that's why you did what you did. You were afraid he'd punish you if you didn't."

"Yes, I was."

"I can understand that."

"You can?"

"I already forgave you didn't I?"

"Yes you did."

"So, yes, I can."

"Thank you, Clove."

"We'll see how this goes though."

"Of course," she said.

"It looks promising though."

"I hope so."

"I hope you don't prove me wrong."

"I won't."

"Most people wouldn't work as hard as you have to gain it to just throw it away like that." Clove nodded.

"Yeah, I guess that's true," she said, as they all heard movement from Kawino's room.

A while later Cady came out fully dressed back in what she had on yesterday. Mantear also noticed that she was exiting Kawino's room and seemed to be in a very good mood. "Cady, what were you doing in Kawino's room?"

"I well I uhm..." she stammered.

"Did you two have sex?" Cato and Clove's jaws dropped and Cady went bright red looking at the floor and smiling a bit but nodding. "Oh, wow."

"It just sort of happened," she said.

"Clearly not since you had to teach him about it."

"I mean me teaching him about it just sort of happened and led into that..." she said.

"Seems like an awful lot of things 'just happening'."

"Really, it did we were just talking before then," she said.

"He wanted to though," Cady added.

"He did?" she asked.

"Yeah, once I told him what it is."

"You agreed to it."

"Yes but I didn't push him to."

"Well...I suppose there's nothing to be done about it now."

"There really isn't."

"You're not just using him?"

"No I am not. I would never use him," Cady said seriously, looking Mantear right in the eye now. She inspected her for a while before nodding. "I would never do anything to hurt him physically or otherwise."

"You had better not."

"I would never. He's the sweetest, bravest, most selfless boy I have ever met. He deserves to be treated with nothing but the best."

"Alright then." She said nodding.

"Thank you."

"No problem as long as he's happy."

"And I want him to be."

"Then you're safe."