I know that it's been forever since I updated and I almost felt like giving up this story but one hotdog and energy drink can really change your mind! I'm not totally happy about this chapter but I needed to write it before getting on with the main story line. Sorry about the wait but hopefully you will find it worth it.

Disclaimer- I own nothing.

Yumi heard her phone ring from beside her. Reaching over and grasping it, she glanced at the name and felt tears rise again. She raised the device to her ear and pressed the glowing green button.

"Ulrich…" she tried to steady her voice to not let him know that she was going against what she said to him.

"Hey." He said softly back, "Look, about earlier, I didn't mean to… control you or try and make you do exactly what I want you to do but I meant what I said. I don't want you to get hurt, I don't want to lose you- I can't."

Silent tears fell from her eyes as he spoke, wishing she could see him one more time before she went, to be in his arms, to have him press his tender lips against hers. She knew why she was doing this but hearing his voice made her heart beg her to stop at home. She wanted to tell him that she wouldn't leave her house, to stay with her family and to say that everything will be okay. But she remained quiet.

"Yumes, please just tell me that you have no intention to go tonight?"

Yumi swallowed hard, "… I don't." she lied, her voice hoarse.

She heard Ulrich sigh with relief, "Thank you," he mumbled, "That's all I wanted to hear. Do you want me to come over? I really need to speak to you anyway."

"Um…" Yumi glanced at the clock. 6:38. Just over twenty minutes until she had to meet the mystery man. Just over twenty minutes until she had to break her promise, "No. Can… can we talk tomorrow?" she tried to hide the tears in her voice, realising that what she was about to do may mean never seeing Ulrich again.

"Yeah, sure. Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

Yumi took a deep breath to try and steady herself, "I'm fine." Her voice sounded fake, even to herself.

She guessed that Ulrich didn't notice, or more likely he didn't want to push her. "Okay. I'll ring you in the morning. Bye, Yumes."

"Bye." She pressed the red button and ended the call. Taking another look at the clock, she saw that she only had nineteen minutes.

Wiping her tears, she stood. Looking in the mirror she saw the image of her old self- red eyes, shaking and pleading for help. After her time with Ulrich, she thought that she would never see that image again but here it was, staring straight back at her.

Slowly walking out of her room and quietly tiptoeing down the stairs, she heard the television playing in the living room. Taking a peak around the door, she saw her father and brother sat on the couch, watching a game of football, both laughing and arguing about whom they think should win. With a sad smile and a lone tear, Yumi tried to burn the image in her mind, knowing that it could be the last time she would ever see them again. I love you, she mouthed and turned around and made her way to the front door. Quietly opening, walking through and closing the door, Yumi took a final glance at her home.

With tears in her eyes, Yumi started to run to the park, wanting to get it over and done with. As she ran, many thoughts played through her mind; what would he do to her? Would it just be him or lots of them? Would she survive? Or was this the end?

Reaching the empty park, Yumi opened the gate with trembling fingers. She winced as the heard to high-pitched squeak of the rusted metal and the clash as it collided with the other metal. Digging into her pocket, her eyes widened when she felt nothing. She had left her phone back in her bedroom; she couldn't call anyone if she got hurt. Pulling her hand back out, she closed her eyes and the realisation of what she was about to do finally hit her. As she thought back on what she had left behind, she didn't see the figure appear from around the silver slide.

"You actually came."

Yumi jumped and looked up at the sound of the deep voice filled the empty air. Staring at him in fear, she heart rate rose. Clad in ripped blue jeans, a plain grey shirt and old dirty trainers. But it was the sly smile on his face was the worst- a smile that she knew all to well.

John.

"No." she whispered to herself but causing him to raise his eyebrows and take a step forward, Yumi taking another step back.

"No, what?" he kept stepping forward, making Yumi keep stepping back. Soon her lower back was pressed against the cold metal bars, John around ten metres in front of her.

Yumi shook her head, "Y-you can't be here… you're meant to be in prison."

He laughed causing shivers to run down her spine, "well, you see Yumi, some of my friends were willing to give a generous donation to my bail. Especially Mark, who's a lawyer, you remember him, don't you?"

She sat on her bed, head resting on her bony knees. She tried to remember the last time she ate but her mind came to a blank. It didn't matter though, her mother was watching Hiroki's soccer match and then they were going to her grandmother's, who lived only a few streets down, to stay the night. This meant that John was left to look after her. He had invited some of his 'poker buddies' and already stocked up on alcohol and was set for the night.

Hearing the loud footsteps coming up the stairs, Yumi trembled and back her young body to the head of the bed. Tears came down as she saw the handle slowly turn.

"She's in here." She heard him mumble, entering the room.

Walking in, John smiled and Yumi winced at the smell of the alcohol coming from the two men. Glancing behind him, Yumi saw the other figure. His was dressed in a plain black suit and white shirt. He looked professional and Yumi had always pictured men like that as a family man. The kind of man who had a good job, a large house, a wife and some kids but her entire image of men was shattered a long time ago.

"Told you she was beautiful."

She saw the man smile and turn towards John, "I think I can take it from here. Anything I need to know before?"

John looked at her, "Don't hurt her too much, Mark, I don't want her mother questioning me and remember to lock the door. Other than that, she's yours." With one last smile to the man, John walked out and closed the door behind him.

Mark took John's advice and proceeded to lock the door before sending Yumi a sickening smirk. Taking large and slow steps towards the pre-teen, Mark hovered above her. Yumi shrunk back in fear, gripping the sides of her black shirt in hope that somehow that would stop the man from hurting her.

"Shh," he ran his finger down her cheek, "Don't be scared, I'll try not to hurt you… too much." He added with a kiss on her check, his lips pausing there as his hand travelled up her top.

Yumi was eleven, a child. Mark was middle aged, a sick adult. She lay there after he was finished, her tears drying on her red cheeks, her throat was sore from screaming as he caused her pain over and over.

Letting out a deep breath, Yumi felt her knees almost give way as the memory washed over her. She could remember everything, every little detail. John smiled when he saw her posture. Moving forwards, he pulled out a phone from his pocket, motioning for Yumi to take it. Yumi just stared at the device and looked up in confusion.

"Take it." He commanded, chucking it at her. Yumi just managed to catch it before it smashed into the ground. She guessed that it wasn't his actually phone as she guessed he wouldn't just throw that one. "I want you to do three things for me, Yumi. Number one, I want you to call your father."

Yumi ran her fingers over the keys, tears starting to fall from her eyes, "Why?"

"Number two," he dismissed her question, "I want you to say that you're going to run away."

"Why would I say that?"

"Number three, you're going to come with me."

Yumi shook her head, "No. I'm not going anywhere with you." She said, surprised that she could even talk to him, let alone stand up for herself, "The only reason I came here was to save Ul-" she stopped herself before she let slip Ulrich's name.

John raised his eyebrows, "To save whom? You're boyfriend? Oh, you mean Ulrich!" he said with a laugh.

Yumi felt her protectiveness of Ulrich mix in with her fear, causing a weird solution of fright and anger, "Don't hurt him!"

John laughed again, "I won't even touch him… if you do as I say that is." He gestured to the phone in her hand. "if you don't then… well, let's just say that my friends and I might visit him sometime."

Yumi gripped the phone tighter.

"I don't want to lose you, Yumes."

Yumi gasped and Ulrich's voice filled her mind.

"I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to lose you- I can't."

More tears fell as Yumi replayed Ulrich's words. He was so caring and loving towards her. he was the one that made her realise that she could trust people, that she could form relationships without the fear of being hurt again. She hadn't known him for that long but she trusted him with her life. Now, she had to trust herself with his life.

"I'll do it." She whispered, staring at the phone, ready to press the keys.

John smiled in victory, "Then do it."

Pressing the numbers, Yumi frowned before pressing the call key, "Wh-what do I say?" she cried, knowing that this could be the last time she would ever speak to her father again.

"Just say that you don't want to live with him anymore, or with you mother. Say that you're running away and just wanted to say goodbye. Just add a few more convincing things, then we can go." He smirked, making Yumi's stomach turn.

She nodded grimly and pressed the green key. As it rang, Yumi thought back on the good times she had with her family. Before the divorce. Before John.

"Yumi, if you don't come down now we're leaving without you!" her mother warned, making the tiny girl panic and grab the first pair of shoes she could fine. Slipping them one her small feet, she ran out of her room and bounded down the stairs.

Her foot caught on the last step, her body falling. She screamed and shut her eyes, ready to hit the floor below but it never came. Instead, two arms held her close to a larger body. Looking up, her large brown eyes shone as she saw her mother smiling back.

"And this is why we don't run down the stairs, isn't it?"

Yumi laughed and nodded her head. Her mother placed a tender kiss on her forehead and stroked Yumi's soft hair. "Are we going now?" Yumi asked excitedly.

"As soon as you get in the car."

Yumi shot out of the door and ran to the family car, her father laughing as he saw his six year old daughter jump into the car. "Slow down." He warned, though he knew that she wouldn't listen to him.

"Can we go now?"

Takeo smiled down at her, "Yes we can."

"Great!" she beamed, then her smile slowly turned into a frown, "Where are we going?"

Yumi heard the phone ring five times before she heard her father's voice message. With a tear falling down, she began to speak.

"Hey Dad, it's me, Yumi. Um… I'm so sorry." She cried, "I'm so, so sorry but I'm…." she looked at John, who was now talking on his other phone but still looking directly at her, making sure she didn't pull any stunts, "I can't take it anymore. You all treat me like a little girl and everyone is so protective of me, so much that I can hardly think for myself! Dad, I love you but I'm leaving tonight. I'm sorry that," she swallowed back a sob, "I'm sorry that I didn't say goodbye but… can you please tell Ulrich that I'm sorry but I had to do it," Looking at John, she said the words that she knew could be the last her father would ever hear from her, "I love you, Dad."

She took the phone away from her ear and pressed the end key before tears streamed down her face. Those were her last words to her father; if she didn't make it, her last word to Ulrich were "Bye.". Regret hit her hard.

She heard John laugh from in front of her and his footsteps near, "Don't cry, Yumi," he soothed, making her feel sick, "Just come with me now and it'll be okay."

His 'promise' meant nothing to her. His large hands gripped her shaking shoulders and dragged her swiftly to a plain white van parked a few feet away from the park gate. Checking that no one was around, John ushered Yumi into the back, making it look like he was helping her climb in to any unseen onlookers. Hearing the lock click into place, Yumi suck to the van floor and cried into her hands.