As promised, I am bringing you another chapter. As I also said before, things are going to really become intense for Touya and co. But where there is darkness, one can only head towards the light. Hee, hee…Now on with the show!

Three months went by and there was no sign of any threat upon Touya and his family. Summer was fast approaching and the end of school was near, so was Okaasan's health. He had spent the past five weeks in bed. She had to stop doing photo shoots due to fatigue and shortness of breath. Even still, she smiled and laughed from the bed as she watched Sakura play and talk. Touya couldn't even tell she was sick. The only thing that made it so, were the arguments that lit the kitchen table up when Auntie Sonomi came around.

"She doesn't belong here. What does a bug like you know about taking care of a delicate flower like her! She belongs with her family!"

"She is with her family. Her children are here, Sonomi. Let her be with them in this time of need." Touya heard his father reply as calmly as if nothing was wrong.

If only he'd talk like that to me when we argued, Touya thought to himself. He was told to stay upstairs with Sakura until she left. Yet, he couldn't help but sneak out of their room and overhear the conversation. After all, he didn't want Okaasan to leave either.

"Yes, those children belong with her and her family. How can you even think of raising such a beautiful angel like Sakura in such a rundown place? You know our Father can give those children everything they need for a proper upbringing." Sonomi shrieked.

Touya rolled his eyes. There they go again, always Sakura. Of course, she didn't have the fondest memories of Touya since he often liked to place bugs in her teacup and hid under the table with a pair of scissors to shorten her pants. Still, it bugged him that he was left out of the argument.

"The children are fine here. Sakura is happy with her mother and brother. She's not in school yet and won't be for a couple of years. Touya is fine at the school he is in." He heard his father get up and the sound of dishes clinking together. He probably was clearing the table, the signal that the conversation was drawing to a close.

"I'll never forgive you for this. This is your fault. The least you can do is let us take her to a proper physician."

"And they will say the same thing as the community clinic doctor says, she's terminal and there's nothing more that can be done." He finished.

There was a long silence and Touya leaned further out of the door to listen. There was a small sniffle, "I just want another opinion. Can't I have just that?"

Touya heard his father sigh. "That will be up to Nadeshiko, if she is up to another trip to the hospital. I shall ask her."

With that, Touya scrambled back into the bedroom and shut the door quickly. Sakura looked up from her book. "What is happening, Onnichan?"

"That lady I told you about is pestering Otousan and trying to take Okaasan away from us."

"You mean, the…Wicked Witch of the West?" Sakura's eyes widened. That was what Touya called Aunt Sonomi when she wasn't listening and was teaching it to Sakura. She had never seen Sonomi so Touya planted the picture of the green skinned witch in Sakura mind and she was terrified.

"Yup, but don't worry, Otousan is fighting her off." Touya came over and sat down next to her. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. "I wish we could help Otousan."

"Hmm." Touya nodded. Then he got an idea and grinned. "Perhaps we can. Remember what I told you could destroy the Wicked Witches?"

Sakura put a finger to her chin in thought. "Ummm…Oh! Was it water?" She looked up at him.

Touya nodded. "Yes, water makes witches melt. Do you want to help Otousan, Sakura?"

She shook her head vigorously. Touya got up and walked over to the toy box. "Then I've got just the thing."

He rummaged through the wooden box for a minute and pulled out a clear plastic bag full of colorful rubber balloons. "We shall make a magic water missile and melt the wicked witch. Are you brave enough to do this?" He said acting stern and stiff like a soldier.

She stood up and saluted. "Hai! Sakura-chan's not afraid."

"Good. This is what we must do."

Touya managed to lift the window open despite the bars. He peeked out and down towards the sidewalk. She hadn't made it out yet.

"Quickly Sakura! Get into position." He whispered with excitement.

His little sister had arms small enough to reach through the bars and hold the bulging balloon out and over the right spot. Her tiny hand clutched the balloon and despite shaking a little, kept a firm grip on it.

"Wait for it, she's not there yet." Touya kept a look out. Then he saw the apartment door swing open forcefully and she came storming out. He grinned as he waited until she was at the right spot.

"Ready….Here it comes…NOW!"

Sakura let go of the balloon and it went flopping down quickly to meet Sonomi's perfect auburn hair.

SPLASH!

She screamed and Touya grabbed Sakura and pulled her away from the window.

"Is she melting, Niichan?" She asked innocently, but Touya was too busy laughing. He nodded and quickly took a careful peek out. She had dropped her purse in the midst of it and was picking up her items. He could hear her grumbling some dirty phrases as she did so.

"Oh yeah, she's melting."

He closed the window and looked at his sister beaming at her heroics. "Very good, Sakura. Your first witch melting, may it be the first of many."

He put away the evidence and went to open the door. Otousan was waiting at the doorway. Touya jumped a little at the surprise.

"That wasn't very nice, Touya."

Touya pointed to Sakura, but Otousan shook his head. "I don't care what you say to shine the spotlight somewhere else, I know it was your idea."

"But-

"We melted a witch!" Sakura chirped happily and skipped over to Otousan and clapped her hands. "We helped Otousan melt a witch."

Touya hid a smile of triumph as he knew that would dissipate his father's irritation. It did and he smiled a small smile. "That witch, isn't such a bad person. I don't want you to melt her again, O.K Sakura?"

Sakura nodded. "Kay!"

She ran out of the room to watch T.V. and left Touya to face his father. He looked down and spoke before Otousan could prod him. "I don't want her to take Okaasan away. Why can't she just leave us alone?"

"She's just worried about her, that's all. I don't blame her, but I won't allow her to pull apart this family."

Touya nodded and started to return to his room when his father reached over and brushed his hand through his hair. "This family won't fall apart either," He added his voice thick with concern, "no matter what happens."

Touya looked up at his father understanding the meaning behind his words. There was tension within the family, mostly between him and his father. It needed to be addressed, for Okaasan's sake.

Still, it was hard for Touya to talk to the man in front of him. It always had, he wasn't like Touya and Okaasan. He didn't feel comfortable around him and he wasn't sure why. It was the same reason he couldn't connect to anyone else, they were normal. He wasn't normal. All he needed was to spill the fact that he could see things and be labeled a freak. So he said nothing, to anyone. It was easier to deal with just himself than handle other people's problems. It was easier to avoid his father than come face to face with the fact they both were going to lose someone dear to them.

"I understand." He said just to get him to walk away. Otousan looked at him, hoping he did and would help fix things up before it was too late. He left the young boy and returned to Okaasan's side.

Touya sighed with relief and regret. He closed the door and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes. Nothing had happened to Touya and his family recently, but his dreams of the moon had not appeared either. He was beginning to worry. Was it all over? It couldn't be because he couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that came over him when he went outside.

"My moon, where are you? Tell me what is going to happen? Can I protect my family?" He whispered almost chanting the words. He had picked up some books from the library on spells and magic. He felt a little ridiculous doing so, especially when some weirdo started talking to him in the aisle about how he felt he was the next Nostradamus. Touya quickly took his books to the checkout and left before the geek tried to recruit him.

"My moon, please guide and show me what I must do."

He felt a strange blanket of sleep cover him and he knew it was working. Yes! He thought as he fell deeper into the realms of sleep.

"Show me what my path is."

The moon appeared, bright and lavender. It illuminated a strange symbol on the ground. It looked like a circle with an eye inside it. Strange symbols lined the inside edge of the glowing circle and the eye looked like shape of a cat's eye. Three jagged lines raking down the eye like the marks of a claw glowed red. Outside the circle, to the top was triangle that rotated, to the right a strange staff, to the left two headless snakes intertwined, and to the south, a crescent moon. Touya didn't understand what it meant and didn't have time to figure it out when the image changed. He saw nine figures but no faces. He heard voices, "You're one of us now."

"I trust you."

"May Maijaa bless you."

"I won't let you ruin everything I love."

"Watch yourself, ronin."

"I shall abide by and therefore, enforce the rules. You shall not pass."

"Ha! I'm the greatest! All bow before me!"

They all spoke their words and disappeared before Touya could speak. Then, a shadow passed over, covering his moon. For some reason, it scared Touya.

"Little boy, little boy." A snake like voice whispered. Touya seized with fear.

It's them!

He couldn't see where they were nor hear where the voices were coming from. They seem to echo all around him.

"We're gonna get you…We're gonna hurt you."

"Who are you? What do you want?" Touya shouted into the smoky wasteland.

"What do we want? We want…you." The voice sounded as if he were whispering into his ear.

Touya shouted with alarm and tried to wake up. Perhaps it was wrong of him to try and contact them. Could they hurt him when he was like this? He felt his body go cold on the outside, almost numb. Apparently they could, he thought. He hadn't thought this through enough. Now he was paying the price.

Touya tried to call for the moon. "Moon, help me." But the moon was being blocked by the clouds. It couldn't see that Touya was in trouble. The voices laughed. "Little boy seems lost and alone."

"Yes, he does."

"Don't worry…we'll find you."

Touya struggled to wake himself. Then he heard a muffled sound. It sounded like somebody shouting but to Touya it sounded like he was underwater. He tried to focus on where the sound was coming from.

Perhaps I can follow it to somewhere safe, he thought. He concentrated on it.

"Gonna get ya…"

No.

"Gonna get ya…"

Don't listen to them, just find the voice.

Touya heard the voice again, this time it sounded clearer. It was working! He focused harder.

"Touya!" He heard the voice shout still sounding muffled.

I'm coming.

"Touya, wake up!"

I'm almost there. Just keep calling.

"Oh God, Touya please wake up!"

I'm there.

His eyes opened. Otousan was staring right back at him his eyes wide with fright. The first thing Touya noticed was how cold he felt. He was damp with sweat, but felt as if he had been dumped in ice cold water. He shivered violently. His father scooped him up and pressed him tightly to his chest.

"Touya, can you hear me?"

He tried to speak, but his teeth chattered so severely all he could do was nod.

"Fujitaka! What's wrong?" He heard his mother shout from the bedroom.

This time, Touya forced the words out. "T-t-tell her I'm-m-m-m O.K. P-p-p-please."

Otousan looked at Touya as if he were crazy. Touya pleaded with his eyes and Otousan looked to the door. He knew if he didn't answer, she would force herself out of bed in her weakened state and risk injury to see what was wrong.

He seemed to struggle internally for a moment, and then said, "It's nothing! Touya just fell off the bed. He's O.K." he shouted back.

Touya closed his eyes in relief, but he father shook him. "Touya don't! Stay awake." He whispered harshly.

The warmth from his father started to spread to him and the shivering subsided. "I'm alr-r-right."

"No you're not. What happened to you?" Otousan began rubbing Touya's arms and back vigorously. "Jeez, I leave for just a moment and you're unconscious and as blue as an ice cube!"

What could Touya say? He wasn't sure himself. "I d-d-don't know."

Otousan shook his head with worry and began stripping Touya's clothes off. "Let's get you dry and warm. Get under the covers and I'll get you some clothes."

Touya lay in bed naked as he waited for Otousan to come back with some fresh clothes. He cursed himself for taking such a risky chance. If Otousan hadn't come in, what would have happened to me?

Would they have found him and killed him? He didn't want to think about the image of his parents finding him dead in his room. Bad move, Touya.

His father returned and handed him his pajamas. "There warm from the dryer. Put them on quickly." Touya didn't argue or waste any time and pulled them on. Otousan came back in with a steaming mug. He handed it to Touya and sat down on the bed.

He knew what it was, Okaasan's homemade remedy of warm milk with honey. "Drink that up." He said to Touya.

He took a sip and felt the tepid liquid run down his throat. He was already feeling like normal. "It's good." He replied.

"Now," Otousan began, "can you tell me what happened?"

Touya took another sip before replying. "I told you, I don't know. I was just going to take a nap. Next thing I know, you're here."

"Perhaps if I told you when I was walking by your room, I heard you chanting in strange words I'd never heard before. Would that refresh your memory?" Otousan leaned in closer making Touya shrink into the covers.

"I…don't remember." Touya finished lamely.

His father looked around the room and Touya winced as his eyes landed on the pile of library books on the table. He knew his father was smart enough to piece things together. He was an archeologist.

"Touya-

"I wasn't doing anything I swear!" Touya protested.

"Touya this stuff is not for children. It's not for anyone! How could you- What were you thinking?" His father got up and walked over to the books. He picked one up and flipped through, not really looking and slammed it down.

"I was just…" Touya didn't know what to say to clear his name, so he gave up trying, "curious." He knew that was a bad choice, but so were the rest of them.

"Curious…Curious of what, to see what would happen?" Otousan stared hard at Touya.

Touya couldn't hold his gaze; he didn't have the strength to. "I'm sorry." He said with shame.

"Touya…why?"

"I just needed to know…what the future holds for me, for us." He wasn't lying, he could tell him that much. "I needed to know what I have to do to protect my family."

Otousan came back to Touya and kneeled down his face brimming with tears. "You don't need that stuff to see the future. You don't need to look any further than today, further than this moment. Tomorrow is for tomorrow and right now I need you here."

He reached out and gripped his shoulders firmly but gently. "So don't go away like that again. Do you understand me?"

Touya couldn't hold back the tears that filled his vision. They cascaded down splashing into his lap, soaking his pajama pants. "I won't do it again, Otousan. I promise."

He stiffened slightly as he was pulled into Otousan's embrace, but felt himself relax and cry softly into his shoulder. What a bad boy he had been.

Notes- I shall end here. I'm afraid I got a little weepy eyed. (I'm such a sap!) Oh and it's late so I shall go now. Please drop a line, I love the reviews. Thank you song.unsung and YamiTenshi14 for your comments. Peachy!