PLEASE READ THIS. THAT'S WHY IT'S IN CAPS!
THIS IS AN ALTERNATE TIMELINE STEMMING OFF CHAPTER 8. IN THIS TIMELINE, KIRA IS STILL ALIVE AND WILL REMAIN ALIVE THROUGH TO THE END. MEANING I'LL EVEN BE CHANGING THE ENDING. IF NOT EXTENDING IT COMPLETELY.
I REPEAT: KIRA IS ALIVE THROUGH THIS TIMELINE.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Chapter 8:
"...What the fuck?"
"You are mine, luv. So don't get any ideas."
...0.0.0
A dull thud reached my ears from my open bedroom door.
"IVAN, ARU!" Yao shouted. I stood up and went up the stairs quietly, meeting the eyes of a certain now-blonde butch. Yao was on the floor with Ivan's head in his lap as he tried to stem a flow of blood from his head.
"What the hell?" I yelled, slamming the door open the rest of the way. "KIRA! What the fuck did you DO?" I yelled, trying to get Ivan off the floor with help from Yao. "Are you trying to kill our son?"
"...Yes..." Oh shit. Goosebumps appeared on my arms from the tone of that voice. It was that creepy little devil that lives in Kira's head. "He was trying to take my Andy away. It was his fault Andy is so busy nowadays to pay attention to Kira."
"Yao, go get Artie and get out of here." I told him. "Take my phone, I'll let you know when it's safe." Yao nodded and disappeared downstairs to retrieve the sleeping toddler, then edge outside. There was a a standoff between me and the 'possessed' Kira. There was no helping Ivan, he was still alive, but I can't move him on my own.
"Kira...this isn't cool. I'm sorry, but...!"
"He ordered the baby for you. You know that? I was being crowded out of your life, luv. I just found him on the computer, ordering ANOTHER for you. Do you want to know who?"
I shook my head as Kira stepped closer, grabbing my chin and craning my head up so I had to choice but to look at her bright red eyes.
"When it arrives, nothing will change. Andy is mine, forever and ever and ever." She let out a childish cackle and released me, wrenching the door open and disappearing. I waited until the roar of a motorcycle came careenign from our driveway and into the road for me to sink to my knees. I couldn't breathe, the adrenaline pumping through me fast. Was I a sick bastard for loving the adrenaline that came when Kira started acting possessed? Most likely, but I couldn't help it, I've been sick one way or another my entire life.
"00~?" I looked down, seeign Ivan looking up at me half-lidded, a childish grin on his face. "Is 00 alright?"
I smiled sadly and dabbed at the blood with my apron. "I'm fine, Ivan. Thank you for protecting me."
"I promised, didn't I?" Ivan reminded me, and sat up but lost his grip and collapsed onto me, his head meeting my shoulder. "Sorry, 00. I will be better in a moment. Where is Yao-Yao? Nana didn't hurt him, did he?"
"No. I had him take Artie and leave. I'll call them back when we get you off the floor." I told him, lettign him use me as a crutch as we stood and he limped into the living room, collapsing on the couch. "Ivan...Nana is not well, so please...don't hold this against her. There is a devil in her head that makes her do things like this."
Ivan frowned. "00...Nana scared you so badly, you couldn't stand!"
I blushed. "Please, Ivan..."
Kira was still not back by the next morning, and breakfast was a quiet affair, until the ringing of the doorbell froze me up as I was feeding Artie. China took the spoon, freeing me up to open the door to whoever was leaning on the bell so insistently.
"Morning, ma'am!"
I sighed. "Another one? Look, I stopped ordering these ages ago, why are you still bringing them?"
The delivery man gulped at the look on my face. "Sorry, ma'am...not really my department. So if you could please sign, then you can just call the company..."
"GAH!" I yelled angrily, signing the paper and throwing it at him. "Bring it in, then. But if I end up with another one after this, que Dios se apiade de tu alma inutil!" I screeched at him, slipping into spanish, not even bothering to look at the manual.
"00? Is Nana home?" Ivan peeked into the room, to see the delivery guy bringing in a crate.
"No Ivan. It's a new friend." Russia smiled.
"Yay~! But this friend is for 00 only!" Russia said. I gaped at him.
"Q-que? What do you mean a friend for me?"
"Well, I have my Yao-Yao, and Artie is too young, and I don't like Nana anymore,so this friend is for you!"
I spun to face the nost delivery guy. "If your done, get the fuck out of my house!" I growled, slammign the door shut after them. "Ivan...do you have ANY idea, the consequences of what you just said and did?" I asked lowly. "I have been with your Nana since I was a baby. I was abandoned by my parents, and your Nana saved me. COUNTLESS times, your Nana saved me. So you got me a 'friend', because you don't like your Nana any more? Ivan...that devil possessed Kira because she found out. Your Nana pretends to be strong, but she's only strong because I make her strong. You broke your Nana, Ivan..." I leaned my head against the door, trying to get some air in my lungs.
"I-ivan, aru? Can you finish feeding Artie, aru?"
"Sure thing, Yao-Yao~."
A slim hand fell onto my shoulder. "Don't blame this all on Ivan, aru. It was my fault as well for talking him into it."
"I don't blame anyone, Yao. I'm just trying to fit the jigsaw in my head together. I'm tired, I'm going to go take a nap. Will you wake me when Kira comes home?"
"Yes, I'll send Ivan down, aru."
I smiled. "Thanks."
"Andy? Time to wake up, aru!"
"Mrrp."
"No way, aru. You have to eat."
"Nggrrl."
"If you don't get up, aru, I'll send Ivan up to carry you to the table."
"Grrsh..."
Does this conversation make sense to you? If it does, congratulations. If not, what's basically going on is that it is dinnertime, and Yao is trying to get me up, but me being the stubborn bitch I am, refuse to leave the warm and comfy confines of my bed. But, Yao doesn't like that I'm not eating enough, so dinnertime is very important. And I can't STAND being carried. Especially by my giant of a son...and that's basically what Yao is threatening me with. I grudgingly sat up and rubbed my eyes before putting on my glasses to see that Yao wasn't exactly alone...
"Hijo? If both of you are down here, who's with Artie?" I asked, still kinda too drowsy to enter panic mode.
Ivan smiled. "00's friend is with sestra!" He announced.
"...Huh?" I shrugged off my pajama top and put on a blouse that was hanging over the back of the chair. Why was I already wearing slacks...? Eh, must've been too tired to even change my clothes properly. Maybe it's time for a doctor's appointment...
The first thing I saw was a slick-blonde head. I knew only one other blonde, but she didn't slick her hair back, so it wasn't my insane cousin...
"Who're you?" I asked. The newcomer turned around.
"Ludwig Beilschmidt. You must be Andy."
I nodded, and took the baby spoon from him. He SO fails at feeding kids.
"Andy Nitedream. And you're getting more on his bib then in his stomach." I scooped some from the jar and plopped it quickly into Artie's mouth.
"...his? Why are you dressing him in girl's clothes?"
"I wanted a daughter. Yao made it happen." I answered easily, taking the seat on the other side of Artie so I wouldn't have to make contact with the German. From the corner of my eye, I could see Yao and Ivan trading looks. "If you two have something to say, then say it!" I snapped.
"No idea what you're talking about Nana!" Ivan answered smoothly. "In honor of our new comrade, Yao-Yao is making something special!"
I sighed. Of course he was. "It's dysfunctional, crazy, and half the time we have no idea what the other is saying, but it's our family, and yours if you want it." I told him, wiping off Artie's face before unsnapping his bib. "Yao, did the living room get cleaned up?"
"Sure did, aru! Ludwig helped!" Sure enough, no sign of the crate to be found. Or any dirt whatsoever, including the mud the deliverymen tracked in.
Okay, I offically like this unit =D
But now I have nothing to do.
Fuck.
I so phail at life.
"Is there anything wrong?"
I turned to look at the bonde newcomer. I grinned.
"Nope! Just wasn't expecting you to clean up after yourself. Not even Ivan cleans up after himself. Yao does, but that's because he's just as much a housewife as I am."
"A housewife...then where is your husband?"
"Eh...Kira left for awhile...but she'll be back! She'll be excited to meet you."
I don't think he quite believed me, but whatever. I could really care less. I got a hot German to keep me company! =D LOL
Ya'll want a shojo scene? As I was going around him to go back into the kitchen, I tripped over the couch leg *coughAGAINcough* and started falling forward, squealing slightly. My hand didn't even touch the carpet before a rough pressure around my chest caught me.
"Hey, are you alright?" I looked up, catching a glimopse of a dark ponytail ducking out of sight before looking back at worried blue eyes.
"Eh...heh heh. Opps? I really need to move that damned couch. I trip over that thing at least three times a week." Germany looked like he was considering shipping himself back to the factory.
"You honestly can't be that clumsy."
I stuck out my tongue childishly and chuckled. "Kira once put me in a bubble, just to see if I could keep from bruising for an entire week. It popped three hours later."
Germany sighed and pulled me upright, his arm staying in place a moment longer than necessary.
"Y-your chest..."
I looked at him curiously, inwardly laughing at his red cheeks. "What about it?"
"I-it's not..." His voice failed him bigtime. "Nevermind, it's nothing."
Ha, there's your shojo scene.
And no, it wasn't needed =D
But I am continuing that little chest argument. Just because it's funny watching the great Germany turn into the cherry's cousin.
"Seriously, what about my chest?" I asked, turning to him completely and putting my hands on my hips.
"It's nothing! Absolutely nothing!"
I grinned after a second, then gave him sly eyes. "I get it...you're a pervert!" I accused. "You felt me up!"
"No! I wouldn't...!"
"If you wanted to look, you could've just asked. I don't have anything to hide." I told him, moving to lift my shirt up, but his hands took ahold of it, forcing it back down.
"That isn't necessary! Really!"
"...You idiot." I pouted and turned away, leaving him dumbfounded.
Heh...maybe I just like fucking with people's minds? It is fun after all...
A loud pounding sounded from the front door during dinnertime, coupled with low murmurings.
"What's going on, aru?" China asked, frowning.
"MI PRESIOSO TESORO~~I seemed to have forgotten my key! The car is here, can you hear me? Andy!"
"Nana is being too obnoxious. She'll scare sestra." Ivan frowned, standing up. I jumped up and grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
That voice...that creepy little double-toned voice. That devil hadn't left Kira alone yet? Of course...she left before I could do anything...but it's been in control for so long...
"00?" Ivan called out. I snapped my head to look over at him, then over at my shoulder at the puzzled face of Ludwig, and Yao's angry face.
"Yao, take Artie and hide in the back hallway, within easy reach of the back door so you can escape if needed. You two should-"
"Nana is scaring 00 again, isn't she? That's not very nice." Ivan interrupted, bringing his faucet pipe out from under the table. Ludwig stood as well, putting his hands on the table.
"I am not understanding this! What is going on?" He demanded.
"MI PRESIOSO TESORO! I hear voices! Are you home?" The calling voice was coupled with impatitent poundings.
"Go." I whispered harshly and went to answer the door, coming face to face with the schizo blonde. "Kira..."
Her arms went around me, and buried her face into my hair.
"Mi presioso tesoro! You're okay! You didn't answer the door right away, so I thought something happened!" She looked around the living room and as much of the kitchen she could see, as if looking for someone.
"Where are the children? Isn't it dinnertime? You and Yao are usually so punctual with mealtimes..."
"They went out for the night...and being on my own, well...Not much use spending time on cooking a meal for a single person. I actually just got done eating ramen...if you're hungry, I can make you something." I stepepd aside, letting the enemy in the house. But she froze at the doorway leading into the kitchen.
"Andy...I don't like ti when you lie to me." She frowned and turned to me. "There's abandoned dinner plates on the table." I cursed, not paying attention when she reached over and grabbed my shirt, pulling me towards her. "Mi presioso tesoro. Tell me the truth."
"The truth? You want the truth?" I asked, trembling slightly. I grabbed the hand still holding onto my shirt and glared up at her, seroing in on the blood-colored pupils. "YOU'RE A DEMON!" A sharp pain came from my cheek, but I didn't stop. "Kira! You're acting crazy again! Get ahold of yourself, or I'm LEAVING!" She froze slightly and frowned. The bloody pupils dimmed.
"Andy...You can't leave me Andy..." She carressed the cheek she backhanded and fixed my glasses, before bending down and nuzzling the unhurt side of my face as she circled ehr arms around my waist.
"I'm so sorry, Andy...don't leave me..."
I relaxed my shoulders some. "Kira..."
"Especially...since you have no where else to GO!" She started squeezing my midriff, closing me into her harder and harder. It was getting hard to bring air inro my lungs.
"Together...forever...Andrew Andrea. My little Andy. Mi presioso tesoro."
"Ki...ra...sto...p..." I gasped, wasting precious oxygen. My vision began to dim. A loud crack came from my side, stinging pain shooting from each nerve in the area. I screamed out. The bitch must've broke one of my ribs! Dammit, those are a pain to heal!
"00!" I smiled at the name and let myself fall to the floor when the pressure released me.
I woke up, my sight beyond blurry, worse then when I'm without my glasses.
"Oh! Mr. Nitedream, you're awake!" I looked over to see a little scrappy thing in nurse's scrubs messing around with an IV. Wait...
"What...? Mr. Nitedream...so Kira's here too...?"
"I'm sorry? Oh, Mrs. Nitedream...she's currently in the ICU. That bullet tore only tore through the scar tissue on her liver, but there was still a lot of internal bleeding." The nurse looked genuinely concerned. I was confused, or delusional from the meds. Whichever.
"But...I'm Andy...so how is Mrs. Nitedream...? Did I...?" I lifted my hand to check if I really was still in my body. Yup. There's that scar on my wrist.
"I'm sorry? Well, these painkillers must've made you a little loopy. Anyway, your family is in the waiting room if you wish to see them, Mr. Nitedream."
"...Yeah..." I nodded slightly, and picked up the glasses I spotted on the table. Well, at least my vision isn't blurry anymore.
"Andy, aru!" Yao rushed in first, holding Artie. Ivan followed after his enthusiastic wife, Ludwig following them.
"00 is okay now?" Ivan asked, holding my hand. I smiled up at my psuedo-son and blew a lock of hair out of my face.
"Yeah. I'm fine, Ivan."
"You gave us quite a fright, Andy." Ludwig remarked. "For a moment, I thought we'd lost you."
I squeezed Ivan's hand. "Who was it that nearly killed my husband...?" I asked. The three wouldn't look me in the eye. Ludwig cleared his throat. I looked over at him.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Nitedream. I don't know what came over me...when I saw him hurting you...I overreacted. I can never repay you for taking me into your home, and how I repay you is by shooting your husband..."
"It was you, aru?" Yao asked, astounded. Ludwig nodded hesitatingly.
He looked up, shocked at my chuckling, soon joined in by Ivan.
"It was a demon in Kira's skin. After she was done with me, she would've came after the rest of you. Kira...Kira has been dead for so long...I think you saved her as well, Ludwig. That demon in her head...That DAMN demon from the scum pits of hell..."
I wasn't allowed out of the hospital for a week after I woke up. I'd only been there a few hours when I woke up, which explained why that intern had no idea that the Mister and Missus roles were swapped. She must've gotten it at one point, because she made it a point to return and offer her regular updates on 'Mr. Nitedream'.
I'm still numb over that...I understand that yes...the Kira that has been under the same roof as me for the last few years was dead. She died by Ludwig's hand, because he was protecting me.
Kira...
Kira is...
Kira is DEAD...
But not the Kira I wanted. That Kira was still alive. In the end, when it finally came through, the tears were ones of relief. Not over that demon in my cousin's skin, but over the real Kira. The one that protected me since I was a infant, and she was five. Five years difference, and yet she was with me every step of my life. From when she took me away from my abusive mother as a baby when she returned from kindegarten, then grade school. To having her teacher excuse her early so she would be there when I was let out of school. To when she gave up High school halfway through so she could get a job during my school hours so she'd have her own place that I could escape to. To when I graduated high school and Kira 'proposed' to me, just to piss off my mother and her father. Abuela...she knew everything that went on. That's why when it came time for her to make her will, she struck everyone against us off the list, pissing off a lot more relatives.
That's when Kira thought up the idea of changing our names, then selling abuela's house to ourselves. Before we were Andy and Kira Nitedream, we were Andrew Rodriguez and Katrina Vasquez. Our abuela's lawyer, who then became OUR lawyer, wasn't the cleanest of lawyers, which is why abuela used him. He made our marriage 'legal', given our familial circumstances, then erased Andrew and Katrina off the radar. Despite it all, my mother still found us, and word spread through my side of the family. Kira, the lucky brat, washed her hands clean of her family after that man-to-man fight with her father, and fully renounced herself as part of their clan. My family still came calling now and again, because, to tell the truth, in the end we were sloppy in covering our traces.
That past is etched in stone and my memory. Despite the beatings, the depression, and the sickness that came over my body again and again, I wouldn't trade her for anyone. Kira was mine, and the many memories we made will never change that.
Home was quiet with Kira still in the hospital. And you can guess who caused that. I knew I should've stayed in bed.
"Andrew!"
"Mother." I looked at her levelly when her shadow crossed over the garden that I was laying hay over to protect somewhat from the oncoming snow. No emotion showed across my face, despite wanting to take a cleaver to her head. "Why are you here...?"
She slapped me. I put a hand to the throbbing redness. "Ouch."
"How dare you speak to me that way, you insolent brat! What is with those clothes? Even now, you dirty everything you touch with your uncleanliness!" She seethed. My father came from behind her and grabbed her hand.
"Miriam, enough. We are not here for that. This is a solemn occasion. Our son nearly lost the safety and support of his best friend."
"He probably tried to kill her. Making friends with Katrina was the only thing you have ever done right! At least she kept you out of my face as much as possible! Yet, at the end of the day, you still shadowed the doorstep!"
"It's not like I wanted to." I murmured. She didn't hear me.
"And now she's gone! Who's going to take care of you now?" She demanded.
"Miriam, that's is no need for such harsh words..." She rounded on my father.
"AND YOU! So soft, and always loved that piece of trash more than me! Even when you found out he whored himself around while Katrina wasn't looking!"
"GO TO HELL!" I shouted, making the two start and look at me. "LIKE I HAD A CHOICE! LIKE ANY VICTIM IS GIVEN A CHOICE!"
"00, do you want them to go?" Ivan came up from behind me and put a sturdy hand on my shoulder.
"Who are you?" Father asked, strong but soft.
"Ivan is my and Kira's son. But he has no relation to YOU. I am financially secure thanks to abuela, as for support and safety? I have my family. I have my son, my daughter and daughter-in-law, and a special friend. It's my real family, the one that Kira started for me, and left me with in case something happened, knowing I'd be safe and happy, once I was done mourning for her. And I'm done. Now I know she can't protect me forever. So I forbid anyone related to this accursed family that cast me aside from ever even allowing their shadows darken my property."
The weight of my words weighed heavily on everyone's eardrums, but allowed Ivan to smile darkly.
"Your son? Your SON? YOUR SON? SUCH ABOMINATIONS UPON MANKIND! You and Katrina being involved THAT WAY is DISGUSTING! FILTH! WHORE! INCARNATION OF SIN! REPENT IN HELL!" She grabbed my hair and threw me to the ground. Ivan produced his faucet pipe and slammed it across her stomach, making her choke and gargle before vomiting on the carpet.
"Come on, Miriam." Father led her out of the building, having to drag her the rest of the way when she collapsed.
"Are you alright, 00?" Ivan asked, lifting me to my feet and straightening my jacket the best he could with his large, unskilled hands.
"Enough, aru! You're gonna make it come apart completely, aru!" Yao handed Artie to the Russian and started undoing the damage.
"Seems your life has never been easy." Ludwig commented, pushing me towards a lawnchair before I collapsed from my wobbling legs. I chuckled wearily.
"Actually...the best years of my life...were after me and Kira got married. It made my past bearable. And I got you guys now, so I guess it won't be so bad."