Okay, first up - this is a Christmas special, as you can see, so it ISN'T going to follow the storyline at this particular point. Secondly, just to set the scene, it's a prequel chapter - so before Kizuka met Madara and all her main troubles started.

Cheers :) ~ S.L.

P.S. Have a good Christmas, and good luck in the new year, everyone.

[Christmas & New Year Special]

It was some time after the nth break-up of Sasuke and Kimiko, the nth time Kimiko had proclaimed that it was the last although she had said it plenty of times before, that snow started to fall. At first everyone in the university was jubilant and excited, but by the time the snow had turned to slush, no one was really looking forward to venturing outside.

Kizuka peered out across the campus, straining her sight in order to catch a glimpse of the Christmas lights gleaming in the city centre.

"What are you doing?" inquired Shika Nara, frowning thoughtfully at her, half-slumped over his desk.

"Trying to see the Christmas lights."

"You went to the Winter Opening, didn't you?"

Kizuka turned in her chair to face Shika with a flat look. "Well, yeah, but I want to see what time they turn them on. I'm normally working from four to half nine, so I don't normally see when they're switched on." She faced the window again. "Do you know at all?"

Shika blinked and then replied, "They turn them on at about five 0'clock, I think. It's dark enough by then."

"Yeah," muttered Kizuka distractedly, gazing out of the window. Shika watched her for another moment before looking away and observing the growing argument between Izuna and a brown-haired man who Shika could only guess was from the esteemed Hyuga family. Kizuka leaned closer to the glass, her breath laying a thin fog on it. "Christmas used to be my favourite time of year when I was little." she murmured to herself.

Suddenly she heard a shout from Izuna. "Yeah, and I don't care!"

She turned around just in time to see Izuna take a step closer to Akira Hyuga, whose bottom lip curled unpleasantly. "Perhaps if you weren't such a twat, maybe you would. It's your degree as well as mine!" he spat.

Kizuka sighed and muttered to Shika, "This is the sixth argument this week. Can't one of the professors just reassign them to different groups?"

"That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?" countered Shika, frowning at the sight of them arguing noisily. "Izuna needs to learn to get on with people he doesn't like, as does Akira."

"I know, but ..."

"What do you mean, I'm asexual? Humans can't be asexual, that's plants!" shouted Akira abruptly, followed by a heavy sigh from Kizuka as she looked desolately at Izuna arguing with him.

"They always distract everyone else."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You're non-sexual, then!"

Blowing her fringe out of her eyes, Kizuka continued to glower at the man sitting opposite her in the cafe booth. She narrowed her eyes into slits when her glare had no effect on him. "So," she started, her tone soaked in acid. "Are you going to tell me what you were thinking or just pretend like it didn't happen for the thirtith time?"

Her question was met by silence.

Kizuka huffed. "Typical! You do this every time – you act like you've done nothing wrong and that I'm the one in the wrong for having a go at you!"

"Well, you are." mumbled Izuna bitterly.

"He speaks!" exclaimed Kizuka sarcastically, glaring. Izuna frowned at her. She leaned towards him, across the table. "Seriously, what were you thinking? You're getting yourself into trouble!" She peered at him with a worried and slightly hurt expression. "They'll kick you out soon, if you're not careful."

Izuna scoffed arrogantly. "What does it matter? I'll just go somewhere else."

Kizuka pursed her lips, pretending that his words didn't sting. "But what about your brother? Wouldn't he be disappointed if you're forced to leave?"

"What Madara doesn't know won't hurt him," he reasoned, the uncaring tone in his voice masking the anxiety he was feeling. Both of them knew that Madara wouldn't be happy; from what Izuna had told Kizuka, she thought that Madara seemed to place Izuna and his education higher than any aspect of his own life. "Anyway," Izuna strained a smile. "Let's pay and get back to the dorms." His eyes searched her body leacherously. "We've got time to play arou—"

"I've got to finish my project for English Literature," Kizuka cut in firmly, getting ready to leave. "But I'm sure someone like Ami is up for the ride. After all, she's your favourite, isn't she?"

Izuna didn't miss the jealous undertone in her voice. He smirked. "Aw, Kizu! You'll always be my favourite. Ami's just there for when you're not."

At Kizuka's cold, scathing look, his smirk dropped like ice breaking under pressure. "Fuck off, Izuna." With that left hanging between them, she stormed out of the café, leaving him to pay. If he didn't care about her, then fine. But he wasn't going to use her like a toy. There were sluts for that; she wasn't one of them.

A loud, resonating bang! went off. And then another, and another ... the fireworks seemed to be coming from one of the houses in the neighbourhood. There were only four days until Christmas. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, as though Ecstasy had been replaced by the Christmas spirit. But then it happened.

As Kizuka was getting ready for the party that Sasuke was throwing, her phone vibrated loudly on her chest of drawers. Expecting it to be one of her friends, she glanced at it and then went back to fixing her hair, deciding to leave the message for when she had finished getting ready. Her phone vibrated again no less than two minutes later. Again, she ignored it. The third time was the last time. She picked up her phone and saw the number. She paused. She didn't know what to do. The text was detailed enough, the image of him storming into her university campus was so strong, so realistic, that she had to remind herself that he was back home.

But what if he really was on his way?

Kizuka's hands started trembling. She knew her mother wouldn't have let him near her university if she was alive. Masayo had never been interested in her university before. He always told her that she wouldn't get in. When she need, he told her she would drop out. But now she was in her final year—the last year and still she was here—and he had nothing left to taunt her with.

Slam!

Muffling a scream with her hand clamped over her mouth, Kizuka spun around and stared, wide-eyed, at the person in her doorway. Kimiko looked at her, puzzled and apologetic. "I-I'm so sorry, Kizuka, I didn't mean to scare you!"

Kizuka wiped the tears out of her eyes fretfully, before Kimiko could see. She locked her phone as well. "It ... It's fine. You just took me by surprise, that's all."

Kimiko gave her a look showing that she wasn't convinced, but she didn't say anything except, "okay" and left. A second later, she came running back. "Oh, I was told to tell you that Izuna's going to be late. He's working overtime."

"Mm-hmm." Neither of the girls actually believed that. Izuna was as much as a firm believer in 'overtime' as Sasuke was in marriage. "Thanks, anyway." Kizuka muttered, turning to look in the mirror so she could apply some more mascara onto her eyelashes.

"Men are dickheads," whispered Kimiko, staring at Kizuka's back solemnly.

Kizuka didn't reply.

"I mean, they can really nice at first and really sweet, but then all of a sudden they turn out to be these horrible people who think that no matter what they do, you'll never leave them," She sniffed, and Kizuka couldn't bring herself to turn around. "And when you say it's over, they don't believe you," Kimiko's voice cracked; Kizuka's heart chipped slightly, aching for her friend's pain. "Sasuke really thinks that I'm going to come back to him," She paused and Kizuka slowly turned around; their faces mirrored each other's hurt. "But I'm not. I'm sick of it. Of him ..."

Kizuka stepped forward and embraced her, tears lurking in her eyes. "Shh," she murmured, rubbing Kimiko's back soothingly. "He's an idiot. He can't see what he's got. Any other man would be so happy to have you, Kimi. Sasuke's an idiot."

Kimiko wailed loudly. "It's not just that, it's not just because of me! I hate doing this to Hiruzen, he needs a dad who is always there! Sasuke thinks he can come and go as he likes, but it's not fair on Hiruzen. Last night he asked if Daddy was coming home and I had to tell him he wasn't. And then he asked me what I'd done!"

Kizuka held Kimiko tighter. God, she thought to herself. That must be so painful. Hiruzen wasn't even that old, so he wouldn't understand how badly his words had harmed his mother.

"Perhaps," Kizuka tried to time her words right, "we shouldn't go ... tonight. There are other parties."

Kimiko pulled away from her, shaking her head. "No, no ... I've booked the babysitter for tonight, so I can't ..."

"Waste it," finished Kizuka for her. "Okay, well, if you want, we'll go together, yeah?" Kimiko nodded, and Kizuka rubbed her upper arm in sympathy. "First of all, though, we need to redo our make-up." She winked playfully. "Sasuke's made the biggest mistake of his life, and we're going to show him that."

Kimiko smiled unsurely.

The music was loud and nearly bursting his eardrums. Looking around, he couldn't see her in the masses of moving bodies and masked faces. Whoever had thought of a masquerade-themed party was stupid. How was anyone meant to find people they knew, never mind liked, in a crowd this size?

Shoving his way through the thick sea of people, Izuna soon spotted Sasuke near the drinks counter, his head thrown back as he gulped down some sort of alcoholic cocktail. Smirking roughly, Izuna made his way over to him. "Oi, oi," he cheered, as Sasuke straightened up, his glass empty. "I bet I can drink more than you, Monkey Boy."

Sasuke sneered at him. "What, are you drunk already, Uchiha?" He put his glass down and pushed away from the table.

Izuna's smirk became cocky. "Oh, that's a bit judgemental, don't you think? Seeing as you're the one standing by the cocktail bar."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, seething. "Why don't you just fuck off? Or even better – take a long walk on a short pier!" Sasuke grabbed the closest bottle to him and tried to brush past Izuna, but his next words made him freeze.

"I would fuck off, but I can't Kizuka so I can fuck with her."

Even as enraged as he was, Sasuke could feel the blood slowing in his veins and he could hear his heartbeat strengthening in his eardrums. His fists tightened, his knuckles whitening against his tanned skin. "Don't you ..."

Izuna didn't listen. He weaved his way round to in front of Sasuke, standing close enough to easily be seen as offensive. "Don't what?" He sneered. "Don't fuck Kizuka? Why? Are you saving her for your next break-up with Kimiko, so you can get a piece of every woman in this place?" He leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "All right. Kizuka's a good ride, you know. She'll do this thing with her—"

Snap!

Sasuke's fist collided with Izuna's jaw. With a sickening crack!, Izuna's head was thrown towards the right and he stumbled in that direction. It must be a crack, Izuna calculated, or maybe a bruise at least. He peered through his bangs at Sasuke, who was beginning to pant slightly. His knuckles were beginning to redden already. Neither of them spoke; the party people in the background became forgotten, even those who had frozen and began watching the scene unfold.

"You're a bastard, Uchiha," Sasuke stated quietly, eyes never leaving Izuna. "She loves you, and you know it … but you don't care, do you? She's just a means to an end with you, just like every girl is. You're a pig. I hate you." Sasuke stumbled backwards, into someone who held him up gingerly. "I hate you." Then he ambled into the masses of bodies, out of Izuna's sight.

Someone offered his hand to Izuna, asking if he was okay. He pushed the proffered hand away and ignored him, stalking out of the party. He wasn't interested any more.

Christmas Eve came and passed. Snow had settled during the night, making it a white Christmas. The day itself zoomed by without much warning. In no time at all, it was mid-morning.

Kizuka smiled gracefully, blushing. "Thanks, Kimiko. I love it." She held her new jumper up to appreciate it even more. It was cream with a light pink fairisle design. "I'll put it on right away." She made to get up, but halfway Kimiko pushed her back down. A mumble from the crib by the window stirred both of their attention; when Hiruzen became quiet, they looked back at each other. "What?"

"Sasuke told me something," Kimiko murmured quietly, "He said that he and Izuna got into a sort of fight at the Christmas party, before we got there."

"What?"

"Shh!" Kimiko glanced at the crib, in case Kizuka's loudness had woken Hiruzen up. "They had a shouting match and Sasuke hit him – but!" she added, seeing Kizuka's jaw drop. "There was no other violence! Izuna was badmouthing you, so Sasuke told him what-for."

Kizuka's face dropped. "Me?"

"I'm sorry, I just thought you ought to know. I'm sorry I've ruined your Christmas."

Kizuka shook her head and patted Kimiko's hand. "No, no … it's fine." She sighed. "I wasn't surprised when he said he hadn't got me anything when I gave him my present. I should've guessed the nature our relationship didn't extent that far."

Kimiko looked miserable. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I shouldn't have told you at all."

Kizuka waved her apology aside. "It doesn't matter. Let's just wake Hiruzen up. He can open his presents now." Kimiko didn't disagree and so Kizuka went to wake him up. Kimiko watched her sadly. She knew Kizuka, and there was more going on than she let on …

Boxing Day was spent tidying away the mess Christmas left behind. By New Year's Eve, everyone was over Christmas and anxious to meet the oncoming year. Kizuka, especially, was nervous. Her stepfather hadn't contacted her in two days; no threatening phone calls, no ugly texts, nothing … it was equally as intimidating as when he did make contact.

As she was making her way up the street, to the hill where everyone was gathering to watch the fireworks, she heard hurried footsteps coming up behind her. Thinking it was one of her friends, she smiled and began to turn around. Her smile fell like glass breaking when she saw who it was; horror flooded her features. She didn't think – she just ran. He shouted after her, calling her foul names and other things she didn't fully register – he chased her up the street.

She was driving into sheer panic. Her heels banged against the concrete, hurting her feet, but she didn't dare slow down – not if he was behind her.

The back of her coat was suddenly grabbed. He jerked her backwards. Stumbling and tripped up by his foot, she fell over, gasping in pain and fear.

He had her by her hair now, scrunching it into a ball on the top of her head. She whimpered and shut her eyes. She wasn't stupid – she had lived with him for years – she knew what he would do before he even did it. Sure enough, he raised his hand – she could feel his body twisting as he raised it above his head. Dread built up in her throat like vomit. She waited, waiting for the blow to come, but a shout came instead.

"Oi, what're you doing to her?"

It was a familiar voice, but right now she couldn't think. Footfalls echoed around the desolate street. The voice shouted at him again, angrier than the last time. Her stepfather let go of her hair and started towards the stranger who had intervened.

Kizuka peeked an eye open and gasped.

It was Izuna. He stood there with a strong defiant look on his face, his top lip curling at her stepfather as they started to argue. She flinched and looked away when he went to strike Izuna. She didn't know exactly what happened, but she heard grunts and curses thrown around. Threats into the street, but whether they were carried out she didn't know. She put her hands over her ears and curled into herself. Fear refused to block all the noises out. So she sat there, quivering.

Then a hand laid itself on her shoulder. She jumped, and screamed, alarming Izuna.

She clapped a hand over her mouth and tried to look over to her stepfather, but Izuna's other hand prevented her. "I wouldn't … you won't like it." he whispered gently, eyes planted on her as tears gushed down her cheeks.

"He deserved it …"

Izuna didn't comment. He helped her up, draped his arm over her shoulder and led her to the top of the hill, deciding that he would take her home a different way on the way back. Before they neared the top, he stopped her and said, "That's not the first time … is it?" Kizuka glued her eyes to her feet; she gave him no answer verbally, but all the signs of a victim. "Why haven't you told anyone?"

"I didn't want them to worry."

Izuna rubbed her shoulder, guilt washing over him. And he had been using her, when this was her life already? What a horrible person he was. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "You're not going back."

"But—"

"You're not going back to a place where he exists. You can come with me, I'll take care of you. Hell, even Sasuke would take care of you! You're just not going back!"

"But you can't stand me."

"No," Izuna embraced her, squeezing her as close as possible. There were tears in his eyes now. God, he felt terrible. He was terrible. "I can stand you. I've just been blind. I didn't realise …"

"You weren't meant to," countered Kizuka, her grip loose and her sniffs muffled. "But you don't have to—"

"I want to," insisted Izuna, not letting go. "I want to make everything I've done up to you."

"There is one way," whispered Kizuka coyly. Izuna shifted, listening intently. "If you won't let me go back, then do this – get me a copy of Pride and Prejudice. It's my favourite book. Call it a late Christmas present." Despite the situation, Izuna couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his throat as he leaned back to examine her face. Tears shone as fireworks began to go off in the air.

"All right, I'll get it. But remember? Don't go back."

Kizuka smiled wetly at him. "All right. Bear in mind that I wasn't planning on spending my life under his thumb, anyway."

Ahh ... finally, it's done! I got a writer's block just at the beginning. I didn't plan this, so it was kind of ... improvised. I hope you like it! Also ... Guest you're back! YES!

GG, I'm sorry it's late. :( It was unintentional. I hope the fact that it's longer than any other chapter makes up for it.