For those who have read this story before this is chapter thirteen and fourteen.

I don't own Beyblade!


Chapter 12

- - - It was another boring Monday. Kai was heading towards hell with Ruri who 'needed' his tutoring for a test on Wednesday. He opened the front door and found a crying Akiko hiding behind Tsukiko who standing in front of Takayoshi.

"You had no right!"

"This is my household giving me every right Tsukiko"

"That may be it but to scream at her is not a right you posses"

"I have every right, she is my daughter"

"I raised her, giving you no right!"

Takayoshi turned when he heard the front door close. He glared at Kai and Kai returned it. Takayoshi turned to Tsukiko and glared at her she looked away. He turned away to leave.

"We will finish talking later Tsukiko"

"No we will not. Not until you apologize to your daughter the way a father should"

Takayoshi walked away. Tsukiko turned around to Akiko whose nose was red and her eyes puffy. She hugged Tsukiko and she hugged her back running her fingers through her hair.

"Why doesn't Otō-chan love me?"

I am hurting
I have lost it all
I am losing, help me to breathe

"He does. It's just that he's very stressed out by work" Tsukiko's tears slipped down her face. "A lot of people love you Akiko don't you forget that"

"Like who nee-chan?"

Tsukiko whipped away her own tears and cleaned Akiko's face before answering. "You have Akahana, Akatsuki, Takeshi, Aiko and me. I love you with all of my heart"

"I love you this much" Akiko where spread far and wide

"Yeah well I love you this much more" Tsukiko stretched out her arms and then went to tickle Akiko. "Go get Chokoreto so we can go to the backyard"

Akiko ran upstairs. Tsukiko turned around and found Kai and Ruri staring at her. Her expression turned into one of shock and embarrassment. She quickly turned around and walked to the back yard. Akiko and the pup following behind her.

"We should study tomorrow Ruri. Right now does not seem like the right time"

"Fine, go check how your fucking bitch is doing. I'm leaving"

Kai didn't follow Ruri. He let her leave she was getting to be a pain. He was thinking he should had dumped her when she had insulted Tsukiko at the park. He walked towards the backyard. Akiko was dressing the pup. Tsukiko was in a pillowed two seat-er chair but was upside down her head was where her feet should be.

Kai stopped beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know" she answered

"What happened?"

Tsukiko turned to look at Kai. She was going to tell him to mind his own business but she thought better. If her Otō-sama and Kai's Okā-san where going to be together some day, which she was hoping not, she had to treat Kai as more than just her Otō's-fiancé's-son.

"We were already here heading up the stairs when we heard the front door open again. I didn't turn expecting to be you but when Akiko screamed Otō, I turned around. I could tell he was in an awful mood, I tried stopping her from running to him and jumping into his arms."

Tsukiko's gaze turned to Akiko who was brushing the pup, her gaze turned back to the sky. Kai wondered if she wasn't getting dizzy or a headache from being in such position for so long.

"Then he lashed out at Akiko taking out all of his stress and anger out on her, he realized what he had done and tried to use the dog as a scapegoat. I argued with him and then you came in through the door"

Kai didn't ask any more questions not wanting to upset her any more than what she already was. He stood there until it turned dark. Tsukiko placed her hands firm on the ground and flipped. Kai expected for her to land on her feet which she did but then fell on her butt. She sat there for another few minutes and then stood up but stopped when she was next to the chair.

"Kai if I where you I would leave as soon as an opportunity came up, which I will when it arrives. This…" she spread her hands motioning everything around. "Won't work out. It wasn't supposed to be like this…it won't last and during the time it does it will only cause problems and pain"

Tsukiko stared at Kai. She was serious about what she was saying. He knew that this wasn't supposed to be like the way it was. But if it stayed like this he was willing to deal with it and apparently she wasn't. It must be harder for her. She has a brother and sisters their mother died while he still has both parents. Kai was planning to leave for college and not come back even for the holidays. He was just going to cut ties with everything here.

"I am, soon as I figure out what college I'll go to"

"Lucky…" whispered Tsukiko. "Come on Akiko-chan, dinner should be on the table"

"Hai, come on Kai-nii…Chokoreto hurry up"

Akiko was pulling him by the hand and Kai let her. She was the one who was most affected by this situation but doesn't know it yet. Kai might as well give her some thing to smile about while she still could.

- - - Kai paid more attention to Akiko and Tsukiko. He knew that there was tension between their Otō. Mai didn't say anything about it because she knew better than to meddle in their business. Kai could tell that it affect Tsukiko more. She fidgeted every time she felt her Otō's glare. She dropped her glass of water twice before excusing her self from the table taking Akiko with her.

- - - A week went by and Kai could tell Tsukiko wasn't doing well. At some point in the following week Akatsuki with the help of Akahana carried her inside and left her in her room. Kai took notice that she was barely eating. She was avoiding her Otō at dinner. He knew better than to say anything to her. So instead he followed her around in the mornings.

Kai knew she was a quick walker but now she was walking slowly. Her feet brushed the concrete at every step. Tsukiko no longer carried Akiko and when she did it was only for a few steps. Kai stop following her when the twins would meet her half way to school.

"Why are you coming late to school Kai?" asked Hilary

"I think Tyson finally rubbed off on Kai" said Max

"I just have things to do in the morning" said Kai

They knew better than to ask about Kai's personal life. He could tell that Rei, Max and Kenny could settle with that but Hilary and Tyson where going to end up pestering me like Ruri was doing now.

"Really? Like what?"

"…"

"It better not be because of those bratty girls Kai…" she rambled on and on

Kai ignored Ruri like every one else was. He really needed to break up with her. But to a point where it would her fault otherwise she would bother the hell out of him for the rest of the school year.

After school Kai would take off as soon as he could. He wondered why no one was questioning him about this, especially Ruri. Then at the end of the week it came. Hilary and Tyson caught up with him.

"Kai what's the big rush man?" asked Tyson

"It's nothing Tyson"

"Sure it isn't" said Hilary. "You know what I find weird is that Ruri hasn't complained about you leaving her after school by herself"

"I think it's because Rei has been taking her home"

Kai tried not to thinking about it too long but Tyson had stumped on something. Rei had been taking her home. Something was up. The topic left once he caught Tsukiko was with Akiko.

"Toushiro-chan seems so tired" said Hilary analyzing her

"She's like a zombie"

"Kai have you been following her around?" asked Hilary

"Yes. She isn't well…problems with her Otō"

"Why don't you do something to help her Kai?"

"Would you Tyson? When you barely know a thing about her and her situation?" asked an irritated Kai

Hilary and Tyson stopped walking. Kai turned to them. They looked at him but not with fear as he had predicted. They looked shocked and surprised.

"You care for her well being" said Hilary; "This is the way you're helping her by keeping an eye out for her"

"…"

"Is it that bad at your place Kai?" asked Tyson

"In a way but for her"

Kai looked at Tsukiko. She stumbled forward but caught herself in time. Hilary instinctively reached for her but stopped. Hilary didn't know her well enough. Hilary and Tyson stopped walking with him and turned around when they saw that they were close to his place.

"We'll see at school Kai"

"Yeah"

Kai walked inside the house and made sure that Tsukiko didn't fall up the stairs. The maid ran up to them before they could get inside their rooms.

"Hiwatari-san, Toushiro-san. Toushiro-sama and Hiwatari-sama have arranged dinner for every one. They asked me to tell you to dress this evening and not be late."

Kai nodded and turned to Tsukiko who looked like she was going to fall and pass out.

"Tsukiko are you okay?"

"I'm fine Hiwatari-kun" she mumbled as she closed the door

- - - Tsukiko was so tired. She felt like she was moving without consent. She had been avoiding her Otō for the past week. This meant that she was not eating dinner. Akiko got her dinner and she was just too busy with her homework. She wasn't getting enough sleep.

She fell asleep in school. She ended in her bed but couldn't remember how. It must have been the twins who brought her home. She was bumping into too much furniture that where giving her bruises on her arms and legs.

Tsukiko could feel some one following her but paid no attention. She needed all her attention so she wouldn't fall on her face. Akiko said that she looked like she was really tired. Tsukiko of course lied to her telling her she was fine.

She went to get Akiko. The twins couldn't give her a ride today. School was getting tough. Teachers where leaving more homework and projects.

"Akiko fell asleep" said the care taker leading her to the little girl

Tsukiko picked Akiko up and headed home but instead of rushing home like she always did, she walked in a slow pace. She was feeling really tired, out of energy. Even the energy that she store as a last resource was gone.

She stumbled through the front door. Her head was pounding and Akiko's talking wasn't making it any better. Her stomach felt so empty. Tsukiko wanted to go straight to the kitchen and dig in but she was tired as well.

"Hiwatari-san, Toushiro-san. Toushiro-sama and Hiwatari-sama have arranged dinner for every one. They asked me to tell you to dress this evening and not be late."

The maid delivered a message from her Otō. She guessed he was still not going to speak to her. She really didn't want to go to dinner. She could say she was sick which is how she felt but then it meant that her Otō was going to be even angrier with her.

Akiko went into her room to pick something nice to wear tonight. Tsukiko smiled a little and went to her room. Before she could open the door Kai spoke. She didn't even notice he was there.

"Tsukiko are you okay?"

"I'm fine Hiwatari-kun" She opened the door and closed it

Tsukiko went straight to her bed and fell asleep.

Two Hours Later

"Nee-chan, help me"

Tsukiko stirred and opened her eyes to find Akiko trying to put on a nice light yellow dress. She felt like she was put in slow motion. She slowly fixed Akiko's dress and let her long hair down. Tsukiko looked at the time and knew that she was going to be late.

She heard a knock on the door and instead rushed to her closet. Akiko opened the door. It was Kai.

"Are you ready?"

"I am Kai-nii!" answered Akiko

Kai looked at me. "No…I fell asleep"

Tsukiko rushed to the bathroom and changed into a strapless black bow bubble dress. She wore high heels and waved her hair letting it loose. She put some mascara, eye liner with some lip gloss and was out.

"I'm ready"

Akiko held on to Kai. Tsukiko's heels where going to get her killed in her state. She held on to the stair case rail for dear life. She was still so tired and she could feel a headache coming back. Takayoshi and Kai's Okā where already waiting for them.

"Sorry if we're late" said Tsukiko

"Don't worry dear you look wonderful" said Hiwatari-san

"Arigato. You look beautiful"

Tsukiko knew that Hiwatari-san was lying about her looks. She thought she looked like the living dead. She had not tried to put on blush, her face was pale. She knew the rings where forming under her eyes, she had to put cream so they wouldn't be that noticeable. But from what she saw in her face they where still visible.

"Let's go" said Takayoshi

They followed after him. Tsukiko could feel a pair of eyes on her and turned around. Kai was staring at her like if he was waiting for something to happen. Tsukiko smiled at him to reassure him she was fine.

The ride to the restaurant was quiet. Tsukiko wanted to fall asleep so badly but Takayoshi's glare kept her awake. They where getting out of the car and she tripped. She knew that she didn't have enough energy to find her balance. Tsukiko felt a pair of arms around her. Looking up she found Kai staring at her, worried.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked

"I'm fine just clumsy"

He nodded but she could tell he was going to be on alert. Akiko held her hand and hid herself behind her leg. Tsukiko had never taken Akiko out to an expensive restaurant and she hadn't been to one in a while.

"Its okay honey" Tsukiko held in a yawn. "We are just going to eat. Just don't speak unless you are being spoken to, okay"

Akiko nodded. They sat in a round table. Kai sat next to his Okā and Takayoshi sat on the other side of her. Akiko sat next to Kai and Tsukiko was between Akiko and Takayoshi. Her head felt like it would explode at any moment. She could feel her stomach wanting to growl, Tsukiko sucked in air to make it stop. She ordered anything, she was starving.

Everything was silent. All they could hear was the string instruments playing and people talking amongst them selves.

The waitress and waiter brought in their food. Tsukiko could feel the waiter's eyes on her. She grabbed her hair and covered herself. If she knew that she was going to be stared at inappropriately she would have worn something less revealing. Tsukiko looked away when he winked at her. She caught Kai's stare. He was glaring at the waiter. She knew only one way she could get the waiter's attention away from her. Tsukiko motioned for Kai to follow, he gave her a single nod.

"Sweetheart should I cut it in small pieces for you?"

"Here" said Kai moving her hair behind her back and placing a napkin on Akiko's lap

They turned to the waiter who was wide eyed. He must have thought that Kai and Tsukiko were Akiko's parents which meant message delivered. Tsukiko turned to her own food. She wanted to dig in and forget her table manners but she knew she had to eat slowly.

At some point in the middle of her eating she dropped her fork making a loud crackling sound. Tsukiko's vision was going blurry. She felt really cold. She grabbed her head as she stood up.

"If you…please excuse…me" Tsukiko held on to the table

She fell backwards almost dragging the table cloth with her. Her head hurt ten times worse as it hit the floor.

The room was spinning, she felt sick. Tsukiko could hear voices, very loud voices but she could not understand what they were saying. The last thing she felt was warm hands on my face then wrapped around her.

I have fallen
I have faded
I am drowning, help me to breathe


I want to thank Panda kins, ZanzaZero & Thunder Gardian who reviewed before I rewrote.

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