Chapter 11

"Kaname, Kaname come on, wake up." With a growl she swatted Sousuke's hand away from her shoulder. Still, she couldn't say she didn't deserve a little pestering. Completely forgetting about the movie that she had put on the night before, she'd started teasing him. A simple touch here and a well placed kiss there had produced an almost feral look in his eyes when he finally figured out what she had been doing. Her punishment? Well, she couldn't really consider it a punishment at all. He'd made very sure that she spent the majority of their first night in Malibu practically screaming his name, and besides, a real punishment wasn't supposed to be enjoyed that much right? Although the after effects, mainly her slightly scratchy throat and jellied muscles, were well worth the ecstasy coated torture.

At the moment though, Kaname was trying desperately to bury her head beneath the warmth of his comforter. The first time he'd called to her, she had glanced at the clock with a rising anger. It was 5:30 in the morning! Low blood pressure be damned, Kaname Chidori was a girl who valued her sleep! Especially after that amazing night that left them both slightly sweaty, completely satiated, and gasping for breath, Kaname was not in the mood to be woken up earlier than she felt was necessary. Flinching at the cold rush of air that hit her as he yanked off the comforter, she sat up quickly and could swear she felt the flames of her anger licking at her skin. "What the hell do you want at 5:30 in the morning Sousuke!?" His calm demeanor only served to aggravate her further, and if he didn't come up with something good soon, Melissa just might find herself an only child.

"Hurry and get dressed Kaname, there's something I want to show you. Oh, and make sure you wear pants that you can roll up okay?" Still grumbling about idiotic boyfriends and their air headed schemes, Kaname managed to stumble her way over to the bathroom to fix her hair and get dressed. After somehow managing to will herself awake, Kaname wandered downstairs to find Sousuke with a large duffle bag at his feet. Judging by what he was wearing, a pair of slightly baggy cargo shorts and a blue tribal shirt with a sleeveless grey and white hoodie and grey pair of Vans sneakers, she determined that whatever he had planned this early in the morning couldn't be too excruciating. "Ready Kaname?"

"Uh, sure Sousuke. Just what are you planning anyway? Did it really have to be so early in the morning?"

"Just trust me Kaname. I promise that if you don't like it, you may hit me as much as you like until you feel proper retribution has been done. Alright?" A brief sigh and an 'okay' was all he was able to drag out of her at the moment, and once he'd grabbed the bag and a nearby key ring, they locked up the villa and headed out.

To Kaname's surprise, Sousuke apparently not only had his license, but also had three cars available in the garage. She was slightly confused though when he walked right by all three of them and headed straight to the back behind the SUV. Curious, she followed a few steps behind, and was surprised when something large, round, and shiny came at her from where he had gone. "Put this on Kaname. Let me know if you need help." Finally getting a better look at it, Kaname realized it was a thickly padded helmet. Her questions never got the chance to leave her mouth though. When she looked over to him as he raised the garage door, her jaw dropped as she spied the impressive motorcycle behind him.

"S-Sousuke? What is that?"

"This is my motorcycle Kaname. I left it here because of the steep vehicle taxes in Tokyo. Since you're here, I'd like to officially introduce you to Al."

"Al?" 'Come on now, you can't be serious…'

"Yes. Al is a custom Honda Shadow. This model is called the 'Spirit 750', and it's one of the most reliable motorbikes available on the road today. It's also the only one that has this unique coloring, as they normally come in red, black, or silver. I know every inch of this bike, and have been the only one to work on it since I received it for my sixteenth birthday." Taking a closer look at the machine behind him, Kaname could definitely see some extraordinary similarities. The paint was an almost pearlescent white with thick metallic blue trim. The Honda insignia, as well as the model type were printed on the side of the front tank in a bright glittering green, and the chrome was polished to a perfect shine. The seats had been done in deep navy blue leather, and had another bright green Honda insignia sewn into the rear of the cushion. Walking around it to get a better look, Kaname almost keeled over at the sight of what was printed on the small California license plate. 'Figures,' she thought sarcastically. 'I really should be used to stuff like this by now.' Staring back at her from the rear end of the bike was 'ARX-007'.

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As it turned out, Kaname was almost glad the Sousuke had ripped her out of bed so early. Though the landscape still had the shadows of the night covering them as they rode down the highway, the sky was brightening into a beautiful array of colors. After he had pulled over and secured the bike, Kaname got a better look at her surroundings. The tide was still low, but the waves in the distance had already begun to break into small roaring tubes. Not far from where he had parked was a huge painted welcome sign, and a small brick building with restroom and shower signs on the sides. "Welcome to Zuma Beach Kaname. If you want, before we leave Malibu I can show you how to surf." Replying with an interested 'maybe', she took his offered hand as they walked down to the shore. Later, Kaname found out what the importance of getting up so early had been. Sousuke had wanted to take her to look for seashells on the beach during the low tide. He'd called them free souvenirs, and Kaname made sure to look for special ones to take back for Kyoko and the others. He'd also packed their bag with sandals for both of them, and promised her a special breakfast when they were ready.

After spending a few hours near the surf, and building the world's most pathetic looking sand castle, they decided to finally go get some breakfast. When Kaname had asked where they were headed, Sousuke just smiled and told her to be patient. Normally this would have been enough to start her anger up, but with the pleasant time on the beach and the exhilarating ride on his motorcycle, she honestly couldn't find it in her to care. Kaname admired the vast shoreline as they sped down the highway, tightening her hold on him whenever it felt as if they were going too fast. After about a twenty minute ride, they pulled up to a nice looking beach-side restaurant. "Gladstone's?"

"Trust me Kaname; no visit to Southern California is complete without a trip to Gladstone's. It's some of the best seafood on the west coast, and since you've already tried In-n-Out, I thought you should stop here as well." Kaname giggled at the way he seemed so excited over useless trivia. 'No matter what timeline, you never change do you Sousuke?'

"Sousuke, if you keep spoiling me like this I'm not really sure what I'll do." Moving back over to her, he bent to give her a slow and meaningful kiss. A light blush spread on her cheeks at the emotions that flowed behind his silvered gaze, feeling as though she could drown in them. So lost in each other's eyes, the sounds of the highway and the surf seemed to be drowned out.

"If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand." Kaname's blush only increased at the beautiful words that poured from the lips she'd just kissed. Even with the ground beneath her feet, she felt almost as if she was floating on air. The morning's salty sea breeze continued playing with her hair as they stood quietly in the parking lot. "You've given me so much Kaname; won't you permit me to give back what I can?" Unable to even think of a single response, Kaname just quietly nodded. With another soft kiss, time seemed to move around them once again, and after another moment of blissful silence between the two, she felt him take hold of her hand to lead her inside.

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Finished with breakfast, they headed back into the heart of the city along the coastal highway. Kaname had asked if he knew anywhere that they could shop or walk around for a while, and Sousuke replied that he knew the perfect place. Sousuke then took her down to the Malibu Country Mart, and after some reassurance that the money wouldn't be a problem, Kaname started to loosen up a bit. It had all been shocking to her when she had looked at the first price tag for a skirt she liked in the Encore shop. She could have sworn she felt her jaw hit the floor upon learning that it cost almost one-hundred-twenty dollars, and she had been even more shocked that Sousuke had acted like it was worth no more than ten.

A little after that, and Kaname was beginning to be able to enjoy both the beautiful weather and the diverse items littered within the shops. On Sousuke's insistence, she had been fitted for a Juicy Couture tracksuit, which she had later realized just how fabulous she looked in it. She'd chosen one made of powder blue velvet with light pink trim, and on the back of the jacket was stitched 'Queen Couture'. He'd disappeared for a short while when she was trying on some tops in L'Occtaine, but reappeared when she had found some items she liked. They shared some sweets at the K-Chocolatier shop before deciding to find somewhere for an early dinner. Wanting to keep things casual, not to mention that Sousuke would need some ibuprophen after being convinced, they were seated on the second floor of Taverna Tony restaurant giving them a view of the outdoor picnic and garden area.

After finishing dinner, Kaname wandered through the shops with the intent of finding souvenirs for her friends back in Tokyo. She had also convinced Sousuke that he should participate with the search as well, but when he argued, she simply reminded him that they were his friends as well and put an end to a useless argument. The breeze had begun to cool as the sun sunk lower in the sky, and Kaname hadn't realized how much they had purchased until she looked between the bags and the extremely limited room on the motorcycle. But before she could become distressed, Sousuke whipped out his cell phone and contacted Mr. Hunter. Thankfully the driver arrived within minutes, and before they knew it, their bags had been packed up and they were back on the road.

As they rode, Kaname noticed that Mr. Hunter had turned down onto the correct street, but Sousuke had kept going. "Hey Sousuke!" she yelled over the fierce winds blowing in the faces. "You missed the turn!"

"No I didn't Kaname! Mr. Hunter is taking our bags home, but we have one last stop before then!" The bike flowed through the twists in the road, and almost absently Kaname noticed that the sun would be set within an hour or so. They rode for about another ten minutes before pulling up to a building surrounded by crowds of people. Loud booming music could be heard from the outside, and it seemed as though everyone was desperate to get into the building. Pulling up to the front, they were greeted by two large bouncers. Their size alone was making Kaname feel a little unnerved, until one of them asked them in a loud booming voice if they were on the list. Glancing over, Sousuke didn't seem shaken by their presence in the least. 'Well,' she thought. 'Some things will never change I suppose.' Holding her hand, he walked right up to the two giant men and flashed his ID card. The two men then did a complete turnaround, as their demeanors changed from imposing to one of helpful security.

"Welcome back Mr. Sagara. Enjoy your night sir."

"Thank you, after you Kaname." Settling his hand on her lower back, he guided her through the large doors behind the two equally large men. There was a small reception-like area with a place for souvenirs and a front staff entrance, the entire room covered in variances of black, grey and white. Guiding her over past the cashier's station, Kaname hesitantly opened the long black velvet curtain in the doorway. Bright flashing colored lights, strobe lights, and loud music flooded down from the ceiling. Long mirrors and neon lights were planted on some sections of the walls, and the floor was broken up into at least eight different platform sections, each with different colored light tiles. Feeling as if her eyes would pop out of her head, Kaname looked back at Sousuke; still unbelieving that he even would know about places like this. Raising her voice to talk over the music, she asked him just where they were. "This is Kloud9. It's a club I used to come to with Melissa and Kurz when we stayed here! It's alright; the minimum age is sixteen, and they're very strict about disturbances!" The bright moving lights and loud dance music taking effect, as Kaname was unable to stop an excited smile that sprang to her face. Bringing his face closer so he didn't have to yell, he asked if she wanted to stay.

"Sousuke of course I do! This place is amazing!"

"I was hoping you'd like it. I checked on things before I woke you up this morning, its 80's night. We should have some good music tonight." Practically running onto the nearest dance floor, the loud dance music compelled her to just move with it. Synthesizers, deep beats and flashing colors penetrated everything as they danced. Songs from Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Phil Collins, Taylor Dayne and Bananarama pounded through the air as the multitudes of people danced. It wasn't until then that she realized exactly why Yuki-san had taken the time to burn Sousuke a copy of some of his performances to show off; the boy moved as if he didn't have any bones! What amazed Kaname most of all though, was that he made it easy for her to keep up with him. The only thing that made it that much better was that she was able to pick out all of the girls nearby that wished they could steal her partner. Of course, since she had noticed all of the jealous women, she was more than sure that he would have noticed the few men that were staring at her as well. It only made it obvious when she felt his grip on her tighten, making her smile at his possessive side.

They must have been there for at least three hours, lost in the songs that poured from the speakers. At one point they had to stop though, both completely out of breath and craving something to drink. Stopping by the bar, he got them two bottles of water before guiding her to one of the table areas. What little furniture was there was decorated in black leather and decorated with white and various designs in bright neon colors. The tables were black wrought iron with a colored neon light on the inside rim, making the glass tops seem to glow different colors. "Sousuke this place is incredible! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Simple, it would have ruined the surprise." Taking a long drink from the water bottle, he set it back down and took her hand. "Besides, making you happy is something I want to do." Unsure if he could see her deep blush from under the multicolored lights, she leaned in to kiss him, the cool taste of the water they drank still present. Hearing the next song start up, Kaname recognized it and asked him if he was ready for more. "How could I ever say no to you?"

"Easy," replied Kaname. "You can't, and you know you don't want to." Pulling him back out onto one of the lighted dance floors, she let him lead as the music drowned out everything else around them. 'Kind of ironic I would hear this song,' she thought as he spun her. 'Maybe I should take this as an omen or something. Sousuke did offer to have us visit New York anyway. Though I wonder if there truly could be anything Father could find fault with Sousuke.' A flash of a sour expression came across her face, but she thankfully covered it back up before he noticed. 'Well, there is the whole 'sex before marriage' thing, but like hell Father was a complete angel before he was with Mom. Besides, what he doesn't know won't hurt me.' Deciding to think more on it later, Kaname cleared her thoughts as the music rang through the club once more.

Papa I know you're going to be upset
'Cause I was always your little girl
But you should know by now
I'm not a baby

You always taught me right from wrong
I need your help, daddy please be strong
I may be young at heart
But I know what I'm saying

The one you warned me all about
The one you said I could do without
We're in an awful mess, and I don't mean maybe - please

Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep
Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, oh
I'm gonna keep my baby

He says that he's going to marry me
We can raise a little family
Maybe we'll be all right
It's a sacrifice

But my friends keep telling me to give it up
Saying I'm too young, I ought to live it up
What I need right now is some good advice, please

Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep
Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, oh
I'm gonna keep my baby

Daddy, daddy if you could only see
Just how good he's been treating me
You'd give us your blessing right now
'Cause we are in love, we are in love, so please

Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep
Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, oh
I'm gonna keep my baby

Oh, I'm gonna keep my baby, ooh
Don't you stop loving me daddy
I know, I'm keeping my baby

It had been another two hours before they left the club for the night, both of them thoroughly exhausted after the long eventful day. Thankfully, Sousuke had been content to just lay with her in his arms that night. Kaname couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun in just a single day, and she was thankful that she had agreed to come with Sousuke to California. Due to all the energy they had spent the day before; they woke up late that morning and decided to take their time getting ready for the day. Heading out in one of the SUVs, Sousuke had loaded two of his surfboards on top and Kaname had packed a picnic lunch for the two of them. Once they had their things set up on the shore, Sousuke had Kaname sit in front of the extra surfboard, making sure she understood the reasons behind waxing it and making sure it felt balanced. He was in good spirits that day, as the tide was producing a large number of waves that would be suitable for both practice and performing a few tricks.

Kaname was surprised that he was so patient with her, and never got upset whenever she felt she was asking a dumb question. After swimming out on the boards, they waited for a nice swell to build up. Telling her to wait and watch to get a feel for it, Sousuke swam out to catch the next wave while Kaname watched from on top of her board. Making sure to watch carefully to see how it was done, Kaname noticed how confident he seemed. 'It's like nothing can disturb him out here,' she thought as she watched him take off into the wave. She watched intently as he carved a trail along the forming tube to gather some speed; a gasp surfacing as she watched him pull off an aerial flip before riding along with the water, dragging his hand along the water's smoothed surface. He glided back to the shore as the force of the wave began to die out, and Kaname's mouth was still slightly agape after he had paddled his way back over to her. Giggling as he shook his head fiercely to let loose most of the water, she stopped when she spotted a nasty looking scar on the lower right side of his abdomen. Idly, she noticed that it was in the same place he would have been hit with AS shrapnel from saving her in North Korea. "Sousuke, what's that from?"

"Oh this? It's just a shark bite Kaname."

"WHAT!?"

"Just a simple shark bite, it wasn't as bad as the scar makes it look Kaname."

"B-But Sousuke…"

"I promise Kaname, it wasn't that bad. I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't hurt like a fucking bitch when it happened, but when the doctors made sure it stopped bleeding and I wasn't infected, they said it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The majority of it was superficial, as no major arteries or organs had been damaged. From what they could conclude, it was probably just a curious shark that figured out I wasn't as tasty as he thought I was going to be." Despite his calm and almost indifferent recollection of the event, Kaname's eyes felt as if they were nearly bugged out of her skull.

"So w-what happened?"

"We were on vacation in Bermuda one summer. My Father had to stay in the hotel room for a meeting via webcam, so Mom, Melissa, and I went down to have some fun while he was busy. I remember it was maybe two or three in the afternoon, and I just caught a really nice wave. I underestimated the speed though and got caught in the tube before I could pull out. I wiped out big time, and that's when I felt it happen. It was really painful, but it had happened so fast I wasn't sure if I hit part of the reef while I was under or not. When I came back up to the shore holding my side, that's when Mel saw all the blood and started screaming for an ambulance. According to the doctors, they guessed by the markings that it was probably a Caribbean Reef Shark." Kaname never noticed the small rivers of tears that were spilling down her cheeks until he leaned over to wipe some of them away. "Don't worry Kaname, most sharks don't want anything to do with humans, and there have been a few surfers out there who've never been bitten; even after years of doing it."

"I-I'm not so sure anymore Sousuke."

"You'll be just fine Kaname. Besides, if the worst happens, the sharks will just have to learn what I have."

"What's that?"

"Don't bother trying to kill her; it'll just make her mad." Hearing him laugh at the small joke about her, she punched him in the shoulder; still wiping away some of the tears from her face. Still slightly worried, but feeling a little more relaxed; Sousuke went over a few things like keeping her balance and how to maintain her speed. After watching him catch a few more, she felt ready to try. Helping her find a good swell, they swam out to meet the rising wave. Kaname started out a little shaky, but once she got her momentum going, she was amazed at just how exciting it was. The spray of the water as she glided along the surface was refreshing, and the loud crash of the wave behind her made her feel as if she was the one causing the great splash. Feeling like she would lose her footing, Kaname managed to pull herself out of it before tipping herself into the water. Thankfully, the ankle leash kept her attached to the board and helped her to find her way back to the surface. Pulling herself back onto the board, she floated patiently while Sousuke finished his run. "So did you like it Kaname?"

"Yeah, it was really fun. I did wipe out pretty bad though."

"Don't worry so much, you're just a beginner. I've been doing this since I was twelve, but even now I still get tossed around sometimes, so just take things in stride okay?" Deciding to try a few more times, Kaname found out that she really enjoyed doing it. Apparently because she had good balance, half the work was already done for her, and she would be able to concentrate more on keeping up her speed and attempting a trick or two. They finally got out for a while when they started to prune, and once the blanket had been fixed, they had some of the lunch she had packed.

A few more hours were spent happily alternating between the sand and the surf before they both decided that they had gotten enough sun for the day. Loading up the boards and the rest of their stuff, Sousuke pulled the SUV out of the parking lot and headed back toward the villa. While Kaname was enjoying her last night in the whirlpool tub, Sousuke left to pick their order at a nearby California Pizza Kitchen and a few videos from the Blockbuster on the corner. Unfortunately, after they had eaten and settled on the couch to watch The Matrix, they both fell asleep before the end. Both had been completely oblivious to how tired they really were, and remained tangled on the couch the remainder of the night.

"Will you look at that Mel? Absolutely precious isn't it?" Kurz joked quietly, not wanting to yet wake the younger teens that slept soundly on the couch.

"So sweet it might give me cavities. Where the fuck is Dad's camera when I need it, am I right?" Both laughed quietly as they loomed over the back of the couch. They had arrived not forty-five minutes earlier, and had been in the process of making their way to said couch to have some 'horizontal fun', when the sound of the Matrix's DVD menu had broken the silence around their heavy breathing. When Melissa had discovered her younger brother wrapped around his girlfriend, dead asleep on the couch with his hand under her shirt, she couldn't stop the raging smile that had plastered itself on her face. "So; should we wake them up?"

"All for it babe. Any ideas on how to make it special?"

"You better believe it! Keep watch until I get back. This is gonna be so wrong!" Kurz tried not to laugh with her as she quietly made her way up the stairs to her room. The completely devious smile she wore had shivers going up his spine in anticipation. Kurz had always loved playing pranks on friends and family alike, but to pull a good one on your girlfriend's little brother had always felt just that much better! Still trying to suppress his laughter, he spotted Melissa as she tip-toed back down the stairs.

"So what's the verdict?"

"Check it!" Turning the disc in her hand, Kurz was able to recognize her copy of Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory. Padding softly over to the stereo system, she turned down the television and adjusted the sound so that it would come out as nothing more than a whisper. Setting the disc in the player, she selected the song and turned to look over her shoulder. "You might want to find a better spot for this hun, my bet is that Sousuke's gonna flip right over where you're standing." She waited until Kurz moved across the room to lean on the back of the love seat before pushing play. Patiently waiting for the right moment, Melissa's hand rested carefully on the volume dial. When the perfect second came, she gave the dial a quick twist and raised it to almost full power just in time for the chorus to blast from the speakers

Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

The initial blast acted like a tangible force, as Kaname went spiraling backwards with a powerful scream, only to land with a grand thud on the cold tile floor in front of the couch. Spurned by her scream, Sousuke's eyes flew open, but had yet to focus. Using the arm and leg that was under her, he had somehow pushed himself vertically in the air, only to come down hard on the back end of the couch. After his sudden landing, he had lost whatever balance he may have had and fell face down onto the unforgiving tile, landing on yesterday's picnic supplies, two pairs of sneakers, and the large folded umbrella. Both Melissa and Kurz couldn't take it, and were both grabbing their stomachs to help alleviate the pain of their powerful laughter. When Kaname's adrenalin had begun to slow down, her anger began to flare. Glancing behind her, Sousuke also had a look that promised retribution for his elder sister and her boyfriend, who were currently rolling on the tile laughing. "Sousuke, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Charlie Foxtrot, Kaname?"

"Don't need to tell me twice," she replied menacingly. Both of them were staring promises of death at the college students that were doubled over in laughter at their expense. "Shall we then?"

"We shall," he said quietly. Melissa and Kurz's laughter was starting to die down. Though all they would need to do was look at the two teenagers, the dark clouds of hatred were gathering fast around them both. As Melissa was helping Kurz to stand upright, they both then heard two simultaneous roars behind them.

"WE'RE GONNA *&%$#! KILL YOU!!!

So there you have it! I just couldn't keep Melissa and Kurz away for long; and when I saw something similar on MTV the other day, I knew just how to bring them back with a literal bang! I really didn't mean for this one to be long, but there was a lot of stuff to cover. There's only two more days to go over until we navigate down to Newport, and that means it's only two more days until Tessa shows up! Thanks again to everyone for all the reviews; you've all been so cool to me!

I would try citing everything I put into this chapter, but since there was so much of it, I'll just make it easy on me. The only thing that was made up was Club Kloud9. Every other location and detail was carefully researched to be as accurate as possible, so I hope that made it fun! I'll be starting the next part ASAP, so I'll see you soon!