A/N: Another wonderful chapter from my wonderful bestie, Yazzy Dollface. Keep on writing, Yazzy! You're the best!

Disclaimer: see previous chapters


Fifteen years later...

"GET BACK HERE, FREAK!''

The yell was heard from the top of the stairwell, at the local high school. The sound of running feet was heard next. Around the corner came a beautiful teenager, with knee length black hair, purple eyes and black horns sprouting from the side of the youth's head, curling down around his ears. At first glance the child could be taken for female, but this was a young male. His name, Dominico.

He was sixteen, the youngest member of the Valentine family. His birthparent loved him dearly, but Nero just didn't understand the child. For that matter, nobody didn't know what was wrong with Dominico. He seemed so naïve, and childlike, almost like he lived in his own little world. He was constantly looking at things intently, things that simply weren't there. He had been tested for autism and was determined not to have it. He never uttered a sound, never laughed, never smiled, never cried, not even in pain. That made him a target for aggression on a daily basis, as it did right now. The fact that he had horns didn't help him.

He ran down the first flight of stairs, hitting the wall at the landing, before continuing down the next flight. He was nearly at the bottom when he tripped and fell down the last four steps. He hit the floor hard, getting the wind knocked out of him with an audible whoosh.

He struggled back to his feet and ran again. He was running up the hall towards the office, which was located on the far end of the school, praying he would make it there before they caught him. Suddenly his hair was snagged from behind and he was yanked back and off his feet; hitting the back of his head on the floor with a sickening crack.

"Where do you think you're going, freak?" came a voice from above him.

Dominico held the back of his head as he slowly sat up, only to have a foot push him flat on his back again. He looked up to see three other males above him. They were not strangers to him. They made him live in fear every day.

"I asked you a question, freak," the first male said an evil smirk on his face.

"Come on, Dean, you know the freak isn't going to answer you. It's too stupid to know how to talk."

"You may be right about that, Malcolm," Dean answered with a sneer. "What do you think, Jimmy?"

"I think if we can't make him talk, we should make him scream," Jimmy said, reaching down and pulling Dominico up by the front of his shirt and pushing him towards Dean and Malcolm.

They held Dominico's arms at his sides so he was unable to move. He struggled, trying to get free, but they were bigger than him, and held him tightly. Jimmy drew back his fist and punched Dominico in the face. His head flew back and Dean and Malcolm let him go. He fell to the floor and tried to crawl away, only to feel a foot collide with his ribs, then another. Then the third. Dean, Malcolm and Jimmy stomped and kicked him multiple times, hoping he would scream, or cry...anything. He never uttered a sound. While his three aggressors were laughing, he managed to crawl some distance away and using the wall, he struggled back to his feet once more. He reached a shaking hand up to the back of his head again. His hair was wet with blood. He touched his lip gingerly; it was split and bleeding. He could feel his left eye beginning to swell as well.

"What is going on here?!" came the voice Dominico secretly prayed to hear.

He looked over to see his uncle Sephiroth standing in the lobby where the three boys had attacked him. He found the energy to run to his uncle and hide behind him, clinging for dear life to the back of his uncle's shirt. He was trembling with fear, but he still wouldn't utter a sound.

"Hey. Dominico fell over the stairs. We were just helping him up, weren't we, Dominico?" Dean said, knowing the child would not speak to deny the lie he had just told.

"Yeah," Jimmy said. "We were helping him."

"I guess you three think I was born yesterday. That's not what happened," Sephiroth said, his displeasure showing in his voice.

"Sure it is," Malcolm said. "That's what happened. Right, fr...Dominico?"

Sephiroth didn't miss the near miss in Malcolm calling his nephew the vile name they always referred to him as. He turned to the quaking teenager hiding behind his back.

"Is that what happened, Dominico? And I want the truth," Sephiroth said in a voice that left no room for debate.

Dominico glanced at the three other boys, then back up to his uncle. The other three expected him to back up their lie, as he had on many occasions, but he wouldn't; not this time.

He shook his head, indicating a, "No, that's not what happened."

Sephiroth nodded. "I didn't think so. You three into my office, now!"

Dean was furious. "You are gonna take the word of that monster, that freak over us? Just because he is your nephew?"

"No, Dean. I just wanted to see if you would confess to this attack before I called the police. I have the entire incident on video tape. Too bad it took me so long to get here from the other end of the school; before you hurt my nephew. Now, move it!" Sephiroth said, pointing to the opposite end of the school.

He then turned to Dominico to examine his injuries. He was going to need stitches in his head and cold compresses on his lip and eye. Sephiroth took his hand and they followed the other three up the hall and into the office. Sephiroth called Nero to come take Dominico for medical attention and then called the police to report the incident.

Dominico had been coming home from school for months with cuts and bruises. He was questioned repeatedly by Nero as to what was happening. Nero had his suspicions and brought them to Sephiroth's attention, considering Sephiroth was vice principal of the school Dominico attended.

After Nero came to him, Sephiroth kept a sharper eye on the child, and a sharper ear to the others. He heard the slurs and names they called Dominico behind his back. That's when he had the hidden cameras secretly installed.

Now he had the evidence he needed. Now Dominico would, hopefully, finally be safe.


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