*IN HOTARU'S DREAM*

Where am I? I looked around in search of where I am. It was...a snowy field. I covered my mouth in shock as tear welled up in my eyes. This was...the day...my life changed. I slowly walked towards a snow covered oak tree. I leaned against and slid down it, the hard bark hurting my back. I began to slightly shiver due to the cold. Sudenly, I heard a car driving on the road near me and I felt like I couldn't breathe.Why...is this happening?! I saw me when I was five years old. My brother, Heith, mother and father were walking next to me, as I held my brother's hand. Real me hid behind the large tree, being forced to watch this. I watched as my younger self fell down on the snow, Heith laughing and picking me up. Mother and Father walked us to a large tree. Mother grabbed me and pulled my hair. "You're a disgrace! Worthless child!" She shouted, pushing little me against the tree. Heith fell next to me, holding his arm in pain.

Father smirked at us sickly. "I am so glad we're going to get rid of unescessary trash." He said. I bit my lip and cried, watching my former self being held by my brother. Father nodded at mother and pulled out a shotgun. He aimed it at me and Heith as tears streamed down my face. "It didn't have to be this way. If only you weren't born all of this wouldn't be happening. Goodbye Heith" Mother said with a smile. She kicked little me in the ribs while Father reloaded his shotgun. "Bye Heith." He said, shooting Heith in his head. Little me cradled his bleeding body, begging this to be a dream, while I cried and held myself. My brother...the only one who helped me when I was hurt. Heith. I love you Father reloaded and aimed for little me's head. "Poor, innocent Cherry. So young, so pure..." Mother trailed off. "Cherry, you're going to join your pathetic excuse of a brother." Father said, smiling.

"Hotaru?!"

Who is calling me?

"Hotaru! Wake up!"

Is that...

"HOTARU!"

Nathaniel?

*OUT OF HOTARU"S DREAM*

"Nathaniel?" Hotaru asked, looking into his eyes. Tears welled up.
"Nathaniel!" She shouted, tears falling. She hugged him, sobs filling the quiet room. Nathaniel wrapped his arms around her and whispered soothing words into her ear.
"Hotaru, it's OK." He whispered. After a while, Hotaru's sobs died down so Nathaniel decided to ask her. "Hotaru, what did you dream of?" He asked. She looked him in the eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I dreamt of the day, my father and mother murdered my brother Heith and almost killed me." She whispered. Nathaniel's eyes widened.
"Isn't Raiden your brother?" He asked. She shook her head in response.
"He acts like one because he was the first person that I met when I arrived at the headquaters." She explained. "If...if only I wasn't so worthless...if I could have protected Heith somehow he would still be alive and with me!" She cried, tears falling.

"There was nothing you could do about it, right?" Nathaniel asked. She nodded. "But if I tried-" "If you tried, you would have died and your brother would have been next." He cut her off. Hotaru looked down in shame. "By the way, you are not worthless. Your parents are worthless for doing that. We're they always abusive or was it just that night?" He said.
"Since I was five. I remember, I dropped a plate and my mother screamed at me and slapped me endlessly. I was grounded for a week and two days without food." Hotaru explained. His eyes widened in shock. "That is cruel!" He shouted. Hotaru nodded.
"I coughed loudly so I was confined to his room for three weeks, two without food and water." She said. Nathaniel squeezed his eyes shut and held her close.
"If I was there, I would have protected you. not caring what would happen to myself." He said, kissing her cheek.

Hotaru smiled up at him. "Heith and I shared a room, so when I wasn't allowed to eat, he'd sneak food and give it to me. Heith was really kind, gentle and protective of me. He's sorta like you, except he sometimes would get angry and aggressive. But only I knew why. He had another personality, the one that hated my parents even more then the real him. His other side sometimes would hurt me but I didn't care. As long as we lived, he could hurt me as much as he want." Hotaru ended with a smile, ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks. It must have been so hard for her.
"What happened after he...killed Heith?" Nathaniel asked. He didn't want to pressure her into saying something she didn't want to.
"He was about to kill me but I was rescued by my boss, Tatsuya. He also rescued my brother and some doctors and nurses attempted to revive him but...they were too late." Hotaru explained, crying a lot.

Nathaniel held her and they sat up. He looked at the alarm clock, holding Hotaru in his arms. It's two a.m, way to late to be up, otherwise we could have stayed up. He looked down at Hotaru and held her chin delicately.
"I'm sure if Heith would be proud that his little sister grew up to be a beautiful and strong young woman." He complimented. Hotaru smiled and blushed.
"Is that...what you think of me?" She asked shyly. He smiled.
"Would I lie to the woman I love, who happens to by my girlfriend?" He asked. Hotaru smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She slowly leaned in and closed her eyes. Nathaniel smiled and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. Their kiss firstly was a slow, gentle kiss but then it turned fierce as they were yearning for each other. They broke apart to breathe for air as they smiled at each other.
"I love you Nathaniel." Hotaru confessed, hugging him. He smiled and layed down, Hotaru lying next to him, still hugging him.
"I love you too Hotaru." He replied. They fell asleep holding each other.