I'm so sorry for such a late update! I just couldn't bring myself to type anything good! I still am not happy with this chapter, but I can't keep you guys waiting anymore! Sorry again, and I hope you like this anyway!

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Recap:

"You smell yummy. Better then Rima-chan's pockey." He whispered

Her heart beat loudly in her ears, and her mind flashed the sight of Takeshi's older brother Kisho. She was frozen, her brain being plagued by the memories of that birthday party. She didn't see when Shiki made the final step, felt when he pulled her close, and moved her hair out of the way. But when he licked her neck, she finally snapped out of it, and pushed him away. He didn't expect that, and fell to the floor. She ran to the door and down the hall. As soon as she made it to the front room, she slowed her pace trying to keep everyone's eyes off her. She casually walked up the stairs and down to a door.

Opening it quickly her eyes locked on the bed. Fatigue suddenly hit her, and she closed the door behind her. She kicked off her shoes and took off her thick jacket; she was too tired to change. She climbed into the bed and moved towards the warmth.

"Shiori, what are you doing?" the warmth asked

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She knew the voice, but could barely move. She had deprived her body of sleep for so long that it was shutting her down. Now. Shiori couldn't keep her eyes open for much longer, so she tried her hardest to say something.

"Takeshi…I-I'm so…tired," she whispered

"I'll take you to your room," he suggested and made to pick her up and carry her to her room.

"No…I wa-want to stay here." She choked out "I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?" he asked, worried now.

"Of him, and…and for h-her." She tried to move, mind suddenly changing "I s-should be…helping h-her."

"No," He pulled her close "Stay here and sleep. You won't do any good in the state your in now."

"T-Takeshi," he heard her painful whisper

"You'll be safe," he said

She took a deep breath and finally fell into sleep. Takeshi felt her tension filled body slowly relax and heard her steady breathing. He could feel her heart against his chest and her warm breath on his neck. After he was sure she was in a deep sleep her pulled back and looked at her face.

He looked down at her face. Lightly he touched her lips with his own. She'd never know, but he still shouldn't have done it. He pulled away quickly and held his fingers to his lips, shocked by what he just did. He pulled her close again and closed his eyes; hoping sleep would come to him soon.

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Shiori saw everything that happened that night, and came to his window in the early morning with empty eyes. He rushed down to her and asked what was wrong, but she said nothing. He sat with her on the stairs below the front door for hours, waiting patently for what she was trying to say. The sun burned his eyes, but he stayed. Looking back now he felt sick, for the thoughts running through his head at the time was that the rays of the sun made her look so pretty. It gave her skin a creamy glow and her hair the color of the finest gold. He felt like a little kid thinking of her this way, in the way that sounded like a fairytale. Finally, after hours, the words came from her in a terrible sound.

"She's dead."

He didn't need to ask who 'she' was because he saw the blood on her hands when she first arrived, and knew the empty look in her eyes must have been from something horrible. She looked at him with a look he'd never seen before on her. He didn't know what to do. So he quickly brought her into a hug. He knew she wouldn't cry. She was trying to be strong for him; she didn't want anyone to see her cry. Even though they all knew that she loved her mother, she couldn't show that it killed her to not have her mother around anymore.

She stiffened when the front door opened, and Takeshi's parents stood in the frame. Before Takeshi could react, Shiori was pulling away from his embrace and running down the road to her house. He stood up quickly calling after her, and was about to chase her when his father grabbed his shoulder.

"What's wrong with Shiori?" he asked

"I'm not sure, but something bad has happened." He said and ran off after her before they could ask anymore.

It was later that the rest of her friends came to the house. They all saw her face begging to thin and her body seemed to be swimming in her usually fitting clothes. Takeshi may have imagined all this, but once the dark circles under her eyes became present even under a dim light he suggested the help of drugs. She needed to sleep and it took only about an hour to get the medication needed to do so. He recalled that it took him and Naoto to keep her still enough to stick the needle though her skin.

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She woke when the fading light of the sun came through the window. Opening her eyes slowly she saw Takeshi's chest, and felt his arm draped over her waist. Carefully she removed his hand and slipped out of the bed. She found her jacket again and pulled it on, making her way to the door and leaving the room. After the door closed with a soft click she looked around the hall. A moment past and she decided where to go.

Shiori walked down the hall to her room quietly, took a quick shower and got dressed in clean clothes, before heading down the stairs and out of the Moon Dorms. Her mind was set on the forest and the old cottage she came upon the day before, but she needed to find Kei first. So many questions plagued her mind, and Shiori needed to at least hear an answer for one. Her pace quickened as she approached the woods and saw the fog that surrounded the house before. Her hand reached for the handle, when suddenly she stopped.

Takeshi was waiting here when she came back. Why? He let he stay with him when he clearly wasn't in a very good mood. Why? He came to Cross Academy with her to help find her father. Why? More questions that seemed to only come to her at this moment. What really made him come with her, and why was he so worried when she returned from that other world? How would he react when he found her missing again?

She shook her head. She would return before he awoke and would do her best to keep him from worrying. With out more hesitation, Shiori opened the door and went inside.

She knew no one would be inside, but she hoped that if she stayed for long enough Kei would come and she could ask her some questions. Luckily she didn't have to wait for long. The light came from a small window near the kitchen. Shiori rushed over to it and took Kei's hand.

"Kei, why didn't you tell me?" it seemed to fit most of what she wanted to know.

"You needed to find out for yourself." She said

"But why was that hunter arranged in a marriage with you and my mother?"

"His motives involved much of the same as the hunters of today." Kei said

Shiori straightened, and a defiant look came to her face "I have to stop him. Send me back and I'll stop your wedding from happening an kill that bas-"

"I'm afraid that isn't possible Shiori." Kei said "If he dies before your mother was killed then it would changed everything that has happened since my death."

"But the change would be for the better." Shiori said

"No, you can only change the necessary." She said

"But what it that?" Shiori asked

"I cannot say," Kei whispered "It is for you to decide."

"What can I do?"

Kei didn't answer. She began to fade away into the dim light of the room. Shiori reached out to her, so many questions she had left to ask, but Kei was gone.

"What can I do?" Shiori whispered.

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Again I'm really sorry about this late update, but I'm back on track so I'll put the next one up as soon as I can. Please review!