Me: you asked for longer chapters… you got them!

Yuki:and so do you with your work…

Me: Never mind! Everyone needs a dose of…

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Redemption

By Shiri Chizumi

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Chapter Four: The Blaze of Knowing

WhaWhere am I?... Tohru thought as she sat up groggily. Head pounding, she scanned the unfamiliar room.

"Hey… it's good that you're awake." Aki stood by the doorway. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible. My head feels like someone pounding it with a hammer." Groaned Tohru. "And Akito…?" she paused, not looking at him. "…what am I doing here?"

Akito strode into the room and sat next to her on the bed, his black eyes searching her face.

"The party. I think… no, it's more of I believe that you… got a little too comfortable with my guests due to your…. Slightly intoxicated condition." He said quietly, trying to phrase it as delicately as possible.

"Yeah. I remember the party… I was having a good time and…" Then it hit her. "I got drunk!... and this guy…" she buried her head in her hands. "Oh God."

"Tohru…" Akito tried to draw her closer but she turned away.

Her hand fell on the bed sheets and an unfamiliar color of scarlet fell upon her eyes making her resist tears.

Akito saw it as well. The unpleasant color of a shattered woman.

This woman had it.

"…I'm sorry… Akito… I think… I…I better… just go." Only when she pushed away the sheets did she notice the shirt and jacket that weren't hers. "Akito... did you---"

"Tohru, look. You can't possibly go home in this condition."

"I have to, Akito!"

"And I wasn't trying to stop you. Just let me drive you home."

Tohru sighed. She didn't want to trouble Akito any further. But her head hurt and her world was spinning.

She agreed in a soft, tiny voice. Her hand went up to her neck, feeling for the crucifix she always wore.

It was gone.

"Akito…? Have you seen my necklace? The gold one with the crucifix?"

His back was turned to her when he answered. "No. I haven't."

"I must have lost it somewhere in the party." muttered Tohru. Unexpectedly, her eyes were filled with tears.

He must have heard something in her voice; he turned around and faced her.

Tohru wiped her tears, "It's just that I had it since I was a kid, you know? It… made me feel safe."

Akito was standing next to her, expressionless. "You really think that crucifix could protect you?"

"It's not just the crucifix itself, Akito. Its what it symbolizes. God's love for us and---"

"I know all about that." Akito said abruptly. "I'll go start the car."

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The first few minutes of the drive was filled with an uncomfortable silence.

"Akito…" Tohru said softly, as they hit a stoplight. Akito was staring at the road straight ahead. "I… never really got the chance to… thank you… for last night. I'm sorry if I was so…"

his face softened. "it's okay. I understand," he turned to look at her. "I'm sorry too… that it had to turn out this way… I mean… I barely even---"

"All you've done to me since I moved here was be nice to me." Angela shook her head. "I guess I'm just angry at myself for being so stupid last night."

"Hey… give yourself a break. It was a party. Everyone gets a little drunk..." Akito said blandly.

Tohru was about to put it aside as Akito did but something tugged at her conscience. He saw this on her face and apologized.

"it's just that… I've never been drunk before, you know… and---"

She tried to bury her face in her hands once again but this time Akito's comforting words took over as he handed her his handkerchief.

She tried to suppress her misery with a slight chuckle.

"I'm sorry… it's just that…"

"You don't have to cry Tohru… You can tell me anything."

She felt a bit relieved and told him that she never told her parents that she was going to his party even though they were on an overnight trip and would be back on Sunday.

"They didn't know that you came to my party?"

She looked away guiltily.

"I informed them that I would just rent a few old films, have some pizza and then sleep in. My dad is pretty strict you know, and they wouldn't have let me come since they aren't familiar with you. And I just wanted to come, you know… Since you invited me and all…"

Akito just smiled. The light changed and the car surged forward.

"So… what do you usually do for fun?"

"Well… we have parties back home as well… but usually they're held in the morning." She added defensively.

Akito smirked at her sarcasm.

"Then sometimes my friends and I do some voluntary work. In fact, I'll be going to the Old Folks Home tomorrow after school. Would you like to come?"

"You want me to come?"

"Yeah. I know you probably haven't done it before and that it would mean a bit of time consuming but it wouldn't hurt to try right?"

He brought the car to a halt in front of her house.

"Please? Please?"

Akito pretended to think hard about it.

"Come on, please? Pretty please? For me?"

He wanted to say 'no, I have better things to do' or 'that would be inconvenient for me' but when Tohru grabbed one of his hands enveloped with both of hers, Akito gave a long sigh and turned the engine off.

He couldn't say no, could he?

"Well… okay… I'll pick you up at…"

"After lunch. Say… one o'clock."

Akito gave her a nod and opened the door for her. She gave him a small smile while they walked to the door.

"Well… thanks for everything." Tohru said.

"No… Thank you…" Akito looked at her lips and leaned in towards her.

She closed her eyes abruptly, knowing what would happen next. He saw the fear on her face and stopped.

"I'm sorry…" they whispered before looking at each other.

Embarrassment shone on both their faces and before any of them knew it, Tohru gave Akito a small peck on his cheek.

"That's for everything today… Thanks again" Turning a bit red, she continued. "We'll have a great time tomorrow… I promise."

After the door closed behind her, Akito slowly made his way towards his car.

Looking up and seeing that her window already had its lights on, he drove off.

We'll have a great time tomorrow… I promise.

Akito smiled. I know I will…

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"Took you long enough." A low, gravelly voice said, as Akito slammed the door close.

"And a good morning to you, too."

"Have you forgotten how to speak to our betters, Akito?" there was a note of menace in that voice.

Akito bowed sardonically. "And what orders does my lord and master have for me today?"

The Old One did not answer but his gaze shifted to a small golden necklace displayed carelessly at his dresser table.

"I took it from the girl." Akito said tonelessly. "It was easy to remove."

He could feel the hate emanating from the Other. His burning eyes bore into Akito, full of an age-old wisdom. "Be careful with this one."

Akito managed to shrug, "I'm always careful. I haven't failed you yet."

"You've grown complacent, Akito. There is a first time for everything."

"I have plans. Last night was the beginning—to gain her trust."

"And what was this morning? To gain satisfaction?"

Akito sneered at the question. "She trusts me. it's all part of my plans. She's mine now."

"You are young, Akito. A young hunter whose game is far more dangerous than the beasts who walk on this earth. Those animals can only kill you… this one can destroy you."

Akito followed his gaze back to the crucifix. It was tiny and insignificant.

The Old One stared at Akito, his young, handsome figure bent in solemn study of that hated symbol.

Utterly fearless.

Yes, I can trust this one. The aura of darkness receded.

Akito looked up. The Old One was gone.

He sank into his armchair, mulling over his warnings. The memory of last night still disturbed him.

He stared at his hands.

The smooth white palms that had removed the crucifix so casually, so easily, was blackened with deep, painful burns.

As if they had been scorched by fire.

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Yuki: That was sad, wasn't it? I think it's about time to stop reading this fic now and change into something else.

(gets hit on the head)

Yuki: (massages head) Alright already! I'm sticking to the script you asked. Here goes…

Shiri-san could not make it today to give you her thanks personally because she's in bed with the flu due to the constant nagging of her cram school and the varying weather conditions here in her country. She would like to thank every single one of you for reading this stupid figment of---

(gets hit on the head again.)

Me: stop (ugh!) saying useless things (cough!) and stick to (augh) the script!

Yuki: Shouldn't you be in bed?

Me: I'm in… (urgh…) hell.

Yuki:is my insurance still intact?

Me: it won't be coughs if you don't read that thing according to wheeze what it says.

Yuki:I do have a certain kind of sympathy for the sick. Or is it empathy? I can't remember if it's sympathy or empathy… Hmm…

Me: Just shut (cough) up and (huff) read it.

Yuki:ok, ok! Your physician would get mad at me and I really don't like when she's mad.

As I was saying, Shiri-san would like to thank all her readers especially the reviewers who take a bit of their time to review what she has poured her heart out. Unfortunately, she tried to finish these last two chapters while she was on her bed on her laptop without the consent of her physician. Because of this, she said she found them a bit weirder than what was necessary and asks for your deep forgiveness.

Me: Keep… going…

Yuki: ok.

Now that she is on the verge of recovery, she would still like to ask that you wait for the upcoming chapters of this Akito x Tohru fic, Redemption. Her other stories are still being updated as we speak and it would take no longer than her speedy recovery to improve the quality of this story.

Therefore, she asks that you may be a little patient with her and this on-going bug of hers for the success of this fic. She hopes that none of you were disappointed with the lemon in chapter 3 for that was a mind-boggling mind candy and she has now released word that there would be a second lemon which would not be as ugly as that rape scene and that would include…

Do I really have to read this?

Me: everything…

Yuki:just because you pay me to do so.

The second lemon scene would include Akito and Tohru. And yes, they would not hold back on anything. thoughts on having a third lemon would have to be decided to you viewers. Also, she would like to encourage her avid readers to continue reviewing her chapters as you have already done so well. She says that her reviews need to reach up to 50 by the time she gets well so that she would speed up the process of finishing longer chapters. Shiri-san would not mind repeating reviews or repeating reviewers, as long as they speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them god…

Me: Yu… ki…

Yuki: alright, alright! This is a whole speech for when the story would end you know, you don't need to give this now… or maybe you do. Who knows! It might be a last will and testament for all we know.

She would also like to thank Kerkera and OtakuAnime 131 (she prays that she got the names correct as she's only e-mailing her friend to upload this for her.) for noticing her little "boo-boo" in the first two chapters.

You may leave her a message if you experience any kind of trouble, if you merely want to congratulate her for writing this thing with blurry eyes or you want to say hi. She'll accept any message and will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

Sincerely yours, Shiri-san.

Well… that went well, didn't it?

Me: Yuki! I need the (sniff) tissue box that I (sniff) threw at you!

Yuki: gimme a BREAK! Till next time, ciao.