A/N: another chapter. I hope it's what you were expecting. It might be a little longer with the next chapter because I'm working on what to do for the climax but I have an idea though I'm not sure I'll use it.
And, something else, for all those people that don't like taito… I'm not going to make it that. But I guess you can tell I want to huh? So don't worry. Anyway, here's the chapter I hope you like it. ^_^
Tai's POV
Man. This guy really pisses me off. And he actually thinks I'm going to leave. Ha. That's a joke. Well now the joke is on him because I don't care what he does to me. I doubt he'll hit me because I'm not his kid but he kinda does have the police to back him up too. But, like I said, I… Don't… Care.
When I see Mr. Ishida switch his glare from me to Matt and keep it there I behind me at Matt to see why. I don't see a reason why he will suddenly turn the heat on Matt when it's me that's been taking back.
I see Matt shrink back and an almost apologetic look crosses his face. His father only deeps his glare. "Dad?" Matt says in a quiet voice that is barely audible. He's obviously scared. "W-what… I mean," Matt looks away for a moment before looking back up only more confidently this time. "It was my fault completely." Matt says. My jaw drops.
"What?" I squeak in surprise.
Both family members ignore me completely. "I called Tai over. Said that… I needed help on my homework. It was my fault that he was here. He fell to sleep and I did too so I… I'm sorry. I thought that…" He sighs and decides not to go on.
"Is that so?" Mr. Ishida doesn't sound convinced and, to be honest, I don't want him to be. I want him to know what this is doing to his son. To know how far Matt was willing to go because of all the problems his father had caused him. I wanted him to know how others had come to see Matt because of the obvious marks that were left on his pale skin. But I know Matt wouldn't be pleased if I shared this information, with this man of all people.
Matt nods and Mr. Ishida starts to walk towards him. I quickly take a stance in the path Matt's father was just about to take. His father looks at me then at Matt. Matt turns his stare to me. "Tai, I think you should go." Matt says with a waver of fear in his voice no matter how calm he tries to make himself sound.
"Matt…" I urge him to explain but I know he won't in front of his father.
"Tai, just leave." This suddenly sounds too familiar.
** Flash Back **
…Tai followed Matt into his apartment and closed the door. Matt kicked off his shoes and Tai was about to do the same before he said, "Matt what's that smell?"
"Hey. I took a shower."
"Not you Baka it-*sniff* smells like beer." Matt looked at a object on the floor three feet from him. It was a half broken beer bottle laying in shattered glass.
"Matt." He heard his father slur out his name. His father was drunk.
"Oh shit." Matt murmured to himself.
Matt's dad stood up from the couch and scowled at Tai before he put his attention to Matt again. "Tai, I think you should leave."
"Matt…" Tai questioned.
"Tai, just leave. I'll talk to you tomorrow."…
*** Flash Back End ***
Yes. This was more familiar then I would like. I remember that night so fully that it scares me. That was the night that I took Matt away from this hellhole… But now he's back here.
When we first walked through that door Matt didn't expect me to be pulling him out again only moments later. And it was then that Matt knew what would have happened to him if I were there of not. He told me to leave last time because he didn't want me to see what he went through… he doesn't want anyone to see what he goes through so he asked me to leave. That's what he's doing right now.
God. I don't want him to get hurt again. My mind runs rapidly as I think of a suitable plan to get out of here. Could Matt run away again? What would the police do? What would his father do? I guess I'll just have to wing it then, what ever happens, happens.
"No," I state.
"Tai…" He pleads.
"No. I didn't the first time and I won't now… At least not with out you. I don't care what you want, I care about what you need unlike this son of a bitch…" I was going to go on with the insults when I felt a weight hit my face. It causes my feet to leave the ground and it sends me flying through the air until I land on my stomach.
I immediately bring my hand to my face to the spot that is now throbbing. I look up to see Matt horror stricken and his dad looking pretty pleased with himself. I hate him. That…that… arrrrrg. I HATE him. He hurt me and he's happy about it. He's… I'll show him. I look around me quickly. All I see is the couch on my one side and the table to the other.
I look back at Matt and his father who aren't looking at me anymore. Matt's father his now focused on my friend. He stepped forward. He's now in front of the chair that I slept in and the table that's beside me. I then come up with an idea.
Matt's POV
Why did my dad do that? Why does he always have to do stuff like that? It wasn't bad enough that he has to hit me but now Tai. When I saw that look on his face, shock even a bit of fear… I froze. I couldn't move. I didn't want to be here anymore. I didn't want to see the hatefulness in my father's eyes in which he had for me. I didn't want to see the fear that my father inflicts on my friend. Or the pain that I inflict on my brother.
But I can't just vanish from this place and appear someplace else so I do the closest thing I can get to that right now. I take a step back. My father then looks up at me, probably seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye. I'm glad his focus isn't on Tai anymore but I'm not too sure if I'd want it completely focused on me either.
I see my father take a step towards me. So I take another step back. He takes another step forward. The sound of something heavy rubbing against the carpet, then a thud sound and my father yelling, makes me jump and run towards the balcony doors. I don't know why I did this. I guess I just got scared.
I look at Tai and see him smile victoriously. What he did was smash the coffee table into my father's legs. That's why he's lying on the floor right now. Tai quickly runs in my direction but my father had already made it to his feet and lunged himself at Tai.
"TAI!!!" I shout as I see Tai being shoved at the wall. He's kicking and struggling to get away but his chest is against the wall so he doesn't have a hope to get away that way. That's when I run at my father and start trying to take one of the pressures off of the brunettes back. I think my fathers trying to brake his spin. Just the thought of that makes me cringe.
My father finds me to be a nuisance and kicks my leg before shoving me towards the floor while never releasing my friend from his grip.
"You son of a bitch. You have been a pain in my ass ever since I first saw you and now I can finally get even with you." My father explains. I stand up from the floor and look around. I have to help Tai. If I don't… I don't even want to think about it. I quickly run to the kitchen and search. For what? I don't know. Anything that will help Tai. I search through a cupboard and then find the pots and pans. That will work.
I take a pan out of the cupboard just as I hear Tai scream in pain. My dad laughs at the boy's pain and that gives me everything I needed to go through with what I'm about to do to my own flesh and blood. No… I won't kill him but knocking him out will be the most I ever dreamt about.
I run up behind him and raise the pan above my head. With out wasting time I bring it down on him with as much force as I can muster. He drops like a ton of bricks and so does Tai. Dad isn't completely out yet so I hit him again and this time he's not awake. Tai lies on the floor waiting for the pain to go away.
I let him. In this time I realize what I did. This man has power. He can do anything he wants and get away with it. And I just hit him over the head with a frying pan. When he wakes up he's going to kill me… I bet he will to. Not just figuratively either. And Tai. He already wanted to take Tai out. This will be worst. This will be it. We're going to die. When Dad wakes up he'll kill me then hunt Tai down at his house or anywhere. God this can't be happening.
I drop the pan onto the floor with a thud and then shortly follow it. "What have I done?" I whisper.
"Matt… you had to. He…" Tai stops talking. I think he sees the same problem as I do. "Man this hurts." He says. He's in pain… I have to help.
"Right." I say a bit louder then the other thing I said before. I stand up and quickly walk towards the washroom. I then go to the sink, open the medicine cabinet and pull out a bottle of Advil. I walk quickly into the kitchen grab a cup and turn on the tap. I fill the cup with water and head back to Tai. I see him sitting against the wall with his hand in his hair and him facing down. I give him the Advil and water, which he takes thankfully. He smiles at me before taking it. I look down at my father lying on the floor on his side and then the pan catches my eye.
I pick it up and start carrying it to the kitchen, "Well… he isn't dead." Tai says. I freeze in my spot. I haven't even considered the thought of him being… dead. What if he were dead? I'd be a murderer. Oh god. I don't want to think of this right now.
I continue my walking at a fast pace. I know he's watching me. I can feel his eyes on my back. I don't care though. I throw the pan into the sink and fill the sink with sudsy water. I wash it and then empty the sink, dry the pan and put it away. I turn back to the living room and walk to Tai. He has a worried expression on his face. But why? Is he worried about me? I'm not hurting like him. He doesn't have to worry about my father right now because he's unconscious.
I walk up to Tai and take the cup out of his hand and take it back to the kitchen in which I wash it, dry it and put it away. I take the cloth in my hand and start whipping the counter.
"Matt?" I hear Tai say gently as if I were a two year old. I don't answer. I just continue wiping up the counter even though I know it's clean. "Matt?" He calls again. I feel a hand placed on my shoulder and I freeze. Unable to move. "It's alright. We'll think of something." He reinsures.
I snort. "Yeah right." My voice sounds as if I were on the verge of tears… because I am. This is going to ruin my life if not end it. Actually my life ending isn't what scares me so much. The fact that Tai, my best friend who was only here to save me, is going to take some of the fault because of me. That will end his life.
Tai. He has so much to live for. His sister… parents… so many friends… future… he has so much and he's… I feel a tear fall down my face. This tear isn't from sorrow though. It's from guilt. WHY DID I EVER HAVE TO DRAG HIM INTO THIS!!! I shout at myself mentally. "Why?" I sob and fall to my knees. I hear Tai make a sound as he tries to kneel down.
"Matt… It's ok."
"Why did you save me Tai? Look what I've done. He'll be angry when he wakes up."
"Maybe he'll be sober Matt."
I slowly turn my head to look at him before saying, "Tai… he was sober."
Tai's POV
He… was sober. I thought he only got violent when he was drunk. Isn't that what Matt said? He did. I'm sure of that. "What?" I ask as if I didn't hear the question.
"He was sober." Matt repeated. "He… awhile ago… I guess when I was in the hospital…" Matt sighed not really knowing when to start telling me.
"Before you found out, Tai, he was like this because of the alcohol. And nice with out it. He didn't even remember doing anything like he did while he wasn't drinking. And if he found out… before my father was a really nice guy and if something happened to me he would have died. I didn't know this until after the digiworld thing and I was happy to find that out. But when he lost his friend and started drinking he became violent. When I was in the hospital I think he found out about what he did. Lost memories coming back I guess. I think he lost it. You know… went nuts… and he is, now like this, violent, twenty four/seven. That's what I happened."
"Are you sure?" I ask. "I mean… maybe your wrong-maybe…"
"No. I'm almost positive. That has to have happened. What else could have? I caused my dad to have this happen to him. I'm going to cause you to loose your life and I caused TK to get hurt and I caused my friends to worry and my mom to loose sleep and your mother stress and… everything is all my fault." He breaks into tears again. I can't believe he's blaming himself for this.
"Matt." I state trying to keep my voice steady. I grab him by his shoulders. "Look at me." He slowly raises his tear-streaked face towards me. I give him a strong look and say, "Matt. None of this is your fault. If it was then trust me. I'd be the first to tell you." He half-heartedly laughs and to this I smile. "Matt, don't blame yourself for something you had no control over. It will be ok. I promise. Every thing will turn out in the end… if it doesn't turn out then it isn't the end." He smiles at me. I read that off a poster somewhere and thought it was kinda catchy. I hope it helps.
"Tai?" He asks.
"Hm?"
"What do we do now?" Good question. I look into the living room and see the unconscious form of his father. He won't be waking up for a while.
"Lets pack. We can't stay here." He nods… then something occurs to me. " Matt?" I ask as he begins to stand. I turn around and lift my shirt up. "Do I have a bruise?"
"Yeah… it's big. Sorry he did that to you."
"No problem. In fact. This just might be what we need to help you."
"What?" He asks and looks at me as if I were crazy.
"Look. I know what I'm doing. Just go along with this." He nods and listens to what I have to say.
Mrs. Takaishi
I sit at my computer working on… well work. It's for my job at the newspaper. It's a big story… at least I hope it'll be big enough to make front page. I woke up around six this morning and decided to work on it since I couldn't get it off my mind. TK is in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons. It's pretty early, earlier then he usually wakes up. He just told me he couldn't sleep. I think it's something else.
Ding Dong.
The doorbell brings me away from my article. I sigh and lean back on my chair to stretch. I've been sitting here for hours working on this. I need to stretch my legs and I'm grateful that the doorbell rang. It'll give me a reason to get up.
"Got it!" TK shouts. I groan at my son's quickness. Oh well. I'll go see who it is anyways. "Matt. Tai." TK's shocked voice says as I walk to the door. I see the two boys standing there and I immediately know something's wrong. Matt walks in followed by Tai who is carrying a beg of cloths and other things.
"Planning to stay awhile." TK jokes. My sons and Tai laugh lightly at the more then welcomed humor.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Hey mom… just thought I'd drop in." Matt says.
"Matt, stop the act. Is it just habit?" Tai says. "The real reason we're here is because your son hit his father over the head with a frying pan… that didn't come out right. Let me try again." He says. He clears his throat and is about to talk before Matt says something.
"Dad attacked Tai and I tried to help. I got the first thing I could think of and used it. We didn't know where to go so we came here." He's not telling me something. I can tell with his delayed explanation and the way he didn't want Tai to give his reason and with how Tai is looking at him right now. Matt tries to avoid Tai's gaze. But I let him go and motion for them to follow me into the kitchen.
They follow.
Matt's POV
Tai had been the one to mention going to my mom's house. Said it was the best place right now to go. So we packed my stuff and headed out. I mentioned about stopping at Tai's to pick up his stuff because I didn't want him to be in one of the spots I think my dad will go looking for him but he said he'd go later and if worse came to worse he'd borrow my cloths. I, reluctantly, agreed.
When my mom asked what's wrong I came up with a, I know, lame excuse. I didn't want her to know about me trying to jump from my apartment building because, it would worry her and TK and she wouldn't take her eye off me.
My mom ushered us to the kitchen table where we all sat. There were just enough chairs for all of us. The table we sat at was oval and made of a light coloured wood. It had four place mats even though there are only two that live here. Three of them have pictures of flowers and one has a picture of a car on it. I'm thinking that is mom's way of trying not to overly womanize TK since he has no father image. I always thought it was funny.
I look around the table at all the faces that are here. There are four of us. We are all silent. I don't know why they are. It's like if they're nervous of something but what? I feebly try to break the silence that hovers in the air. "So… how are you?"
Three pairs of eyes all look up at me and give me weird looks. "This is ridiculous." Tai says.
"What is?" I ask.
"Tai. How do you think he will react?" Is there something I don't know?
"Not well." My mom states.
"Can someone fill me in?" Tai, who is sitting beside me, turns to me completely.
"Matt. Your mom had an idea on how to help you. I know you won't like it but it work." I give him a quizzical look. "Matt… we can use the media to help us."
"What?!" I almost shout.
"Well we can put your story in the paper and people will see it. They will know what happened and want to help."
"People don't wan to help! No one ever does! Not even the police!"
My mom now chirps in. "Matt. They will help. When people read that 'an adolescent has been forced to endure his father's physical punishments by the police' then people won't think this is right and they will campaign and will go on strike and the city will fight for you instead of just the handful of us."
"Yeah right. Like people will help me with my problems."
"Yes. They will. You underestimate the power of a person, Matt. People fight to end wars, to stop hunting, to 'save the rain forest', people find a cause and will fight for it. After hundreds of years of not being able to voice your thoughts we finally get freedom of speech and people are always happy to use it. This will work… if you let it."
I sat back in my seat and think. This does make sense but then that means an entire year of keeping this a secret… thrown away. I didn't want people to know about this. I didn't want my family to know about this. That means when I go to school everyone will know what my father did to me. People on the street will know me and will know what I endured.
"I don't know." I say honestly.
"Matt. Think about it. Everything will be solved. Think about TK… Me… everybody." Tai's right. If I say no that will be selfish.
I sigh. "Yeah. Sure." I will hate this.
"You sure?" My mom asks.
"It's the answer you wanted so live with it." I snap.
"Ok. Fine. Actually I was working on your article when you came here. I didn't know if you'd say yes, Matt, but I do know that you should always hope for the best but plan for the worst. And I was just hoping… I guess I hoped right." Mom said with a smile.
"Can I read it?" I ask. She nods and takes me to the computer in the computer room.
The room is pretty plain. The walls are made of wood and the carpet is a nice grey shade. The room has one desk, one chair and one computer. That's it. Like I said 'it was pretty plain'. I walk to the computer and see that the article is covering the screen. I sit in the chair that is still warm from my mom's body heat. I give my full attention to the screen as I read:
'Drunken Rage Causes Misery For Juvenile
An adolescent has been forced to endure his father's physical punishments by the police
In Odiaba, a small city in Tokyo, a man by the name of Malcolm Ishida has been physically abusing is twelve year old son for over a year. Friend, Taichi Kamya, has said 'Matt is a good friend. I don't know where I'd be without him. He started acting weird all of a sudden and I didn't know why but when I found out I tried my best to help. But nothing seemed to work.' Mother of Taichi states 'I had taken Matt to talk to the police… but they refused to help. And said he had to go back and live with his father despite the consequences.' Yamato Ishida or Matt as his friends call him is currently in the custody of his father…'
The article went on to describe my life and the divorce and other things. I got half way through before I stopped reading. I couldn't read anymore. It hurt to hear the story of my life to be put so lightly. I mean this story had no meaning, no feeling. It's like what I tried to do last night was not a big deal or that the tears I cried some nights seemed not worth shedding. And this is my mother writing this too. I thought it would have more… feeling to it. I don't know. I thought it would have more then that. But if this could help me and I would never have to cry again because of that man I call father. Or never have my friends worrying because of him then it would be worth putting it out in the public.
"So…" My mom asks waiting for my opinion.
I gave her a weak smile. "Good." I say.
"Oh. Then we got to get to work on everything." She says happily.
"Mr. Ishida pushed his hand into my back really hard at Matt's house." Tai says. "It left a big bruise." Tai then turns to me and says. "We needed a picture for people to see that will give something close to proof of what your father did. The bruise, I hope, will be enough proof instead of getting a picture of your dad beating the shit outta you." I smile. My mom ushers me out of her seat and I stand up to let her sit, which she does.
My mom's the next to speak as the sound of typing joins our voices in the room. "That actually will work better because I'd hate for Matt to have to go through his father to get us proof. We'll just put under the picture 'Bruise caused by guilty father.'" She said.
"Great idea mom." TK says as he looks over Mom's shoulder to read as she typed. I smile to myself. This is the first time I've been in my mother's presence and felt comfortable at the same time. At least the first time in years. I guess… I guess my mother does like me… love me? Maybe that to. Whatever it is… I like it. I guess I wouldn't mind moving in with her if I had to. Because I think I like her too.
A/N: Ok. That's all for this chapter. I hope that was good enough for y'all. Sorry for making you wait but I've been busy y'know. And yes Tala and everyone else that thought it was 'media' that Ms. Takaishi was trying to say because you were right. ^_^ R&R
