A baby? I seriously considered it, but somehow it just wouldn't fit into this ficcie. Don't get me wrong, I love babies too, but it just wouldn't fit. Sorry! I did consider it though.
Don't kill me for this chappie!
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Second Thoughts
Whatever had come over him that night was gone. Something had broken through his mental shields and had taken over when he had seen her body lying broken before him. A sort of weakness that he had worked for years to get rid of forever. It had broken through and had completely taken control of him, throwing him into the deepest depths of a whirlwind that he couldn't fight. It's not like I fought it anyway. Kai angrily shoved that thought to the back of his mind and shook his head, leaning against the balcony railing to clear his head. Mahogany eyes closed, he allowed the soft breeze of the late evening rustle his hair across his brow. The long white scarf that was tied around his neck shifted across his back and flowed gracefully about, catching the wind for a moment before it dropped back again.
I only helped her because Dranzer told me to. He was afraid for Keturah and Tasha. I only helped her because he wanted me to. That thought rang true in his mind and he shifted his weight to one foot, sighing softly. The swirling disarray of his mind had long since been organized again and the feeling of not being in control still made him shy away. He had worked his entire life to keep himself under control no matter what the situation was and only the sight of a girl in need of help had shut down everything he had worked for. In those few seconds of weakness that unbidden emotion had swept through him and sent all other control he could have mustered back. He couldn't let that happen again. It wouldn't happen again.
I don't hate her. I don't hate anything but weakness. She means nothing to me at all. She never did and she never will. Kai lifted his head and his mahogany eyes snapped open, not seeing what lay before him but what would come. I'm going to win this tournament, Tasha or no. I'll be pronounced the greatest blader, no matter who stands in my way. I won't be beaten again. Weakness won't get the best of me ever again. His mind set, Kai straightened and turned on his heel, the white scarf flowing gracefully behind him as he left the balcony without looking back.
Tasha paced in her room, running what had happened that night through her head over and over. Each time she did her answer as always the same. She had needed healing. He had given it to her. She had needed strength. He had given it to her. She had needed comfort. He had given it to her. And then he was gone. It never occurred to her the reason why he had helped her, and if it did, she shoved it back so forcefully it couldn't arise again.
I don't need his strength. I'm strong on my own. I was just afraid of what they did. But I'm not afraid of them anymore. They caught me off-guard, and they won't do that again. They can't hurt me anymore. A new fire burned in her blood and she stopped, eyes searching the room for something. When she found it, she pulled them on and opened and closed her fingers for the familiar feel of the cloth on her hands. They were a pair of black gloves made especially for her a year or so ago. The fingers were cut off just before the first joint after the knuckle and the straps on her wrists kept them on. They were her favorite gloves and they were useful to her in many ways.
Without really realizing where she was going, Tasha headed toward a room near the gym and found it empty. Inside was a large mat, which she ignored, and a balance beam, which she also ignored. When she reached the parallel bars she pulled off her jeans and kept on the boxers she had stolen from Draco. Her black tank top wouldn't hinder her movements like a T-shirt would so she kept that on. Tasha stood before the lower bar and jumped up, catching it with her hands. She swung her long legs back and forth until she got enough momentum to throw herself around the bar, keeping her grip on the bar as she swung around and around before she turned around and went the same way, but now was backward. The familiar feel of the smooth wooden bar on her hands cleared her head like nothing else could, her hair swirling behind her as she spun around and then tucked her legs close to her and swung off, kicking outward again as she caught the taller bar and swung on one arm and then caught it with the other. The strain on her shoulder was welcome and she ignored the sharp pain in her back. She hadn't done this in almost a full year and it felt good to be doing again, despite the pain she felt.
Her mind clear, Tasha found herself thinking about what she should do. Her body twisted with growing grace and flexibility as she spun on the bars, performing simple tricks at first to warm up and then moving to more difficult ones as she felt her old talent coming back to her. Before she had been afraid of her old team, the BlackBladers. The four members before her, Luke, Vince, Rick, and Chris had been great to her for her first few months with them, but afterward... It had changed.
Had it really been Voltaire that had created the team? They had definitely been funded by him when she had found the check he had sent for them, but had he really created it? Or had he paid them to do this to her? Was this just his revenge on her? Realization struck her and she almost fell from the bars in surprise. He doesn't want me as a competitor for his grandson! He knew I was growing stronger so he sent this team to beat me down. It worked, but then I escaped. Now he's paying them to go after me not so he can take me back, but so I don't get any better than I already am. He's hoping that I'll become so afraid I'll drop out completely. Tasha twisted on the bar and flung herself onto the smaller one, twirling in the air gracefully before she caught it and spun on that one too. With each time around the bar, her determination grew, her strength grew until she flipped onto the higher bar, spun around, let go of the bar to twirl in the air before she caught it again and spun around, letting go again and turning a somersault in the air before she landed in a gentle three-point. She rose from that position smoothly and tossed her head, her eyes glinting with new resolve. If he wants me to change, he got what he wanted. A tiny smile touched her lips, her ocean blue eyes glittering with fervor. Just not in the package he was expecting.
Tasha pulled on her jeans again, belting them around her hips and left the waistband of her boxers show over top, ignoring them for the time being. She had more important things to do. Never again would she be used like that. Never again would she give in to her fear, to the darkness that threatened to swallow her whole. Chin lifted in a stubborn, determined way, she left the gym through the way she had come and went back to her room. She knew what she had to do. I am not weak anymore. Never again. I don't need Kai's strength to hold me upright. I have a strength all my own and they don't scare me anymore. I'm not afraid of them anymore. I can face them on my own. They'll be waiting for me just like they were the last time. I'll meet them there. But on my own terms. Chris and Luke will be there this time. But I'm not afraid of them anymore. They can't hurt me anymore. Tasha unconsciously grabbed her Keturah blade, not noticing as the bit chip flashed oddly in the late evening light. I no longer fear the dark.
In the shadows of the late night, Kai slid back to the corridor that he had chosen to be his next place to explore. The crimson carpet beneath his feet silenced his steps as he walked down, his mahogany eyes on the walls to take in everything around him. A figure brushed against him and he moved with it, turning his head to look into deep ocean blue eyes. Not a word passed between them as they stared at each other, dark mahogany meeting ocean blue in an almost challenging gaze that neither was willing to drop. They were inches from each other and he could see a strange light in her eyes. She had found new strength, a new triumph glittered in those ocean blue depths. Like him, she had resolved something as well. But in those eyes he saw something else, too. Small memories of the night before passed through his mind like lightning and he saw everything like in a flickering storm, only seeing certain things before they were gone and replaced by another. He saw her gazing up at him with her large ocean blue eyes, sparkling with a sort of emotion that he did not understand at the time as he looked up from kissing her throat. He saw her long silken hair as he felt her pull off his scarf and heard it fall to the ground. He saw her put her hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat through her palm. He heard her whisper his name against his shoulder.
Then she had her arms were around his neck and her mouth was on his and he breathed in her scent, taking her in and allowing her to press herself up against him as he held her around the waist. He deepened the kiss as a hot and passionate embrace that was as demanding as her own grasp on his hair. A burning feeling spread throughout his body like liquid fire, every nerve ending sizzling at her touch as he closed his mahogany eyes and tilted his head to the other side, getting a new and better position. Her lips sought his and he allowed her to find him again. A burning desire flew through his body like a bolt of lightning, so quick was it that it was there and gone, just like their heated embrace.
Breathless, they backed away from each other. Her lower lip was slightly swollen and her eyes were wide and suddenly she was as she was before. They gazed at each other for a moment before she turned her head, her fingers trailing down his strong arm and then she was gone. Kai went back to exploring the corridor when he could no longer hear her near-silent footsteps. Without any words being spoken, they were through.
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*hides behind a fortress to avoid angry reviewers* AAYIII!!!!!! You didn't actually expect them to stay together, did you? *ducks when a knife is thrown at her* Hey! Think about it! They're both proud people and what happened is against both of their principles. *ducks again* Isn't this something Kai would do? *ducks again* Okay then.
Next chappie: Tasha goes out at night to confront her attackers head-on. Does she really have the strength to make them leave her alone? Has she gotten rid of her fear?
Just a hint for you guys so you don't kill me: Doesn't Kai always get what he wants?
Please review!