It had been two weeks since that incident. Akito had recovered nicely, and now Teresa was sitting outside of Hatori's house. "Hatori?"

Hatori poked his head out of his office, "Yes, Teresa?"

Teresa let out a small sigh, "Where's Kisa? I haven't seen her recently." Teresa had taken to seeing the little girl after school, but Kisa wasn't there when she had gone to see her.

Hatori came fully out from his office, "Akito sent for her."

Teresa's eyes widened as she stood up and face Hatori. She started to say something, but instead took off running. Her black converse slipped in the snow as she came around a corner and Teresa barely kept herself from face planting. Her black jacket whipped around her as she ran to the main house. One thought kept her running, the thought that she would get there in time to save her. To save Kisa from this torment.

Teresa threw open the wooden door and froze. Akito stood with a whip in his hand; Kisa was crouched against the wall, blood covering her upper body. "Kisa!" Teresa ran forward and quickly shielded the little girl with her own body. The whip stung as Teresa clung to the tiger.

Akito couldn't move for a moment. The scratch on his pet's beautiful form. The scratch he had just caused. Because of the order she had disobeyed. "You!" Teresa cringed as his hand found his way into her hair and threw her across the floor.

"Kisa," she glanced up and motioned for Kisa to leave. Kisa nodded and left the room. Teresa looked up to this man in the room with her. The man only a few weeks ago who she had told herself she loved.

"How dare you! You've been a good girl, Teresa, but now you go and do this!" his hand was on her face and Teresa felt her body being thrown back.

Words and sounds of blows mixed together in her mind. The sound of her own cries, and his taunting were all that she heard. "Akito!" it was Shigure who said this. She saw the light and their shadows before she saw them.

"Come here, tree," she looked up and noted Hatori bending over her, his arms reaching out to hold her.

"You are nothing, pet! It's because of me you even exist!" Akito yelled before Shigure pulled him to the other room.

Teresa simply buried herself into Hatori's chest. She was tired, losing blood, and sad. All in that order. Words, sounds, lights, they all became blurs of movement. She registered someone placing her on a bed, but she forgot who it was that had picked her up.

Her mind latched onto the only clear picture she could. The picture of that little girl. The little girl, who had cowered from him. The little girl who had been her driving Force back here. Kisa Sohma. Her Kisa. The Kisa who had loved her, been loved by her, and smiled with her. My Kisa.

Teresa opened her eyes to a familiar recovery room. The place she had sat with Hatori many times. Now, she was the one in this place. "Teresa!" Kisa climbed on the bed and wrapped her arms around Teresa bruised shoulders.

"Hey, Kisa," Teresa hugged her back, and ignored every scream her body was telling her to lie back down.

Kisa pulled away and looked sadly at her, "I'm sorry."

Teresa brought Kisa's chin up to look at her. "Why? You did nothing wrong, Kisa." Teresa wrapped the tiger in a hug once more. Teresa couldn't have been more happy, just to hold her little kitty cat.

"Kisa," Teresa looked up to see Hatori in the doorway. He held out his hand, signaling her to come out. Kisa gave Teresa one last parting hug before she left the older girl to rest.

"She's very devoted to you." Hatori changed the dressing on a particularly nasty cut on her back. "When she heard you were coming in, she could barely let me help her."

Teresa smiled, "I only hope I didn't just ruin things for her."

Hatori said nothing, but left the girl to herself.

Kyo and Hatsuharu stood outside Teresa's room. "can we see her?!" Kyo shouted/asked Hatori.

"For a moment," was his stoic answer before he left and the two teens ran to her room.

Both boys froze at the sight. Teresa lay on the bed, her small form dwarfed by the frame. Kyo's thoughts immediately want to pummeling Akito. Hatsuharu, on the other hand, made his way slowly to Teresa, took her hand, and made small cirlces on the back with his thumb.

"Hey," her soft voice brought them back from oblivion. She said no more, but wrapped her arms around Hatsuharu. "Haru, thank you."

"What for?" he noticed Kyo place a hand on her back.

"For coming to see me," Kyo could tell she was struggling not to cry.

Haru nodded against her and released her. "You too, Kyo," she gave him a light hug, and he felt her stiffen as if she was in pain.

"Are you ok, Teresa, do you need Hatori?"

She shook her head and lay back down. "No, I'm fine."

The door opened and Akito stood in the door way. Hatred filled his eyes at the sight of the two boys with Teresa. "Leave," his voice was placid, but Teresa could hear the covered anger and malice.

Teresa made an attempt to sit up before him, but his hand pressed her gently back down to the pillow. "Pet," his long, pale, fingers caressed her cheek. "Teresa, how are you feeling?"

Teresa swallowed, "Fine, Akito."

He smiled, "Good. Teresa, I don't want you to defy me again," his hands cupped her face now forcing her to look at him. "You are mine, and I do everything for you because I want you safe." He kissed her and Teresa fought to give her all into kissing him back. He said nothing more, but exited silently.

A/N: It's been a while. Well, I am now on spring break and I hope to finish this by then. If you really want something to happen, please review and I will take it into consideration. Please review anyways, as they do give me incentive to write.

Happy reading and writing!