Hello Doctor
Disclaimer: Nah, brah…
Chapter 35
Kairi's POV
I couldn't sleep… whenever I closed my eyes I would see Daddy crying and calling my name… calling me like he was afraid he would never see me again.
I just wanted to sleep… the sooner I left to go with Sai and Rai's mom, the sooner I would be back with Daddy and Otou-san.
"I d-don't want to go, Jenova… can't people see how happy I am already… anymore would only make it worse," I whispered to Jenova in the dark. Jenova sat quietly like she always did… she was a good listener, but she never liked to talk.
"The good thing is that you get to come with me! I won't be completely alone…" I mumbled softly and looked up at the dark ceiling above my head. "Do you think that we'll be able to have any fun knowing that this isn't just a sleepover? This is more than that… this could ruin my life…" I trailed off, then huffed slightly with amusement.
"Sounds kinda silly right? A slumber party that could mess up my entire life? Sounds like a scary bedtime story or something! But this isn't a story, Jenova… Daddy and 'Tou-san keep telling me about it because they know how real this is… I just…" I took a deep breath when I felt the tears build up in my eyes. "I just… I don't want my world to change… even if a fairy godmother told me my life could get better than it is with Daddy and Riku… I wouldn't believe her and I wouldn't wish for anything else…" I whispered as a couple of tears leaked from my eyes and ran down the corners of my eyes and down the side of my face.
I froze when I heard my door open and I closed my eyes, I listened as the person in the room moved over to my bed. "Oh Kairi, I thought I would be able to handle this… I really thought I could… but…" I heard my dad sniffle, I could hear how upset he was by his voice. "I'm losing my grip on this…" he whispered and opened my eyes before turning to him.
"Kairi!" he gasped, he must have thought I was sleeping. I leaned over my bed and pulled out the flash light that I use to scare away the snake lady under my bed. I turned it on and shined it on daddy.
"I know a place where no one can hurt us…" I whispered and got out of my bed. I ran down the hall to the blanket closet. "Daddy! Get that big one!" I whispered and daddy chuckled before running a hand through my hair. He reached up and frowned when even he couldn't reach the top shelf.
"Kai! I'm too short!" he whispered back with a laugh. I giggled and hopped. "Try jumping a little," I replied.
"I could get it for you…" I screamed at the voice behind us and Daddy yelped and grabbed me tightly.
Riku laughed boisterously, his flashlight under his face to make him look scary. Daddy began to laugh before moving over and smacking 'Tou-san on the shoulder.
"You scared the heck out of me!" he whispered angrily and I giggled.
"Kowai, 'Tou-san!" I yelped and Otou-san moved over to the closet. He pulled out the large blanket and looked to me. "So what did you need this for?" he asked.
"Come on! You can come to! I'm making a force field to keep away the bad stuff!" I exclaimed and grabbed 'Tou-san's hand.
We ran back to my room and I grabbed Jenova before sitting on the floor. I turned my flashlight back on and Daddy smiled. "I get it! Riku, sit on the floor. Right there." Daddy pointed to a spot opposite of me.
He sat and Daddy grabbed the blanket. He grabbed the corner and like a bird he spread his wings out wide and threw his wings over all three of us. Riku turned on his flashlight and we were engulfed in the yellow glow from our flashlights.
"This is perfect!" I giggled. My fathers were smiling at me, their eyes glistening with happiness. "I wish we could stay like this…" I said quietly.
"Just know, Ri-chan… that this is waiting for you when you get back. Watashitachi no tokubetsuna basho desu… our special place…" 'Tou-san smiled and leaned to kiss my forehead.
"I love you… Daddy, 'Tou-san… and I would sacrifice anything! I will do whatever I can to make you happy! That's what I want! That's what I've always wanted!" I cried and I couldn't stop the tears and the sobs. I wanted them to know that they meant more to me than anything.
'Tou-san pulled me into his arms tightly. I could feel his tears soak through my pajamas. Daddy closed the hug be reaching around the both of us. "You don't ever have to sacrifice things to show that you love us, baby. You prove it to us simply by being yourself. And that's what we want to see, a happy, healthy Kairi," Daddy said in a choked voice.
"If they can't see that you and 'Tou-san are the best for me… then they are a bunch of dummies!" I cried.
Riku chuckled into my shirt and planted a kiss to my cheek. "Kairi, you make us so happy… that's what we want you to know. You are the most important person to the both of us," he said and I nodded.
We sat under those covers, and we talked about love and about family and about happiness… and though there was still a lot I couldn't understand… I never felt so sure…
My real life was here, with my fathers. And no amount of time with my mother would change that.
I finally fell asleep.
-Hello, Doctor-
I didn't cry when Daddy and Riku dropped me off at school… even though I knew that I wouldn't be going home with them for the next week, maybe even longer.
Daddy kissed my forehead and told me that I should be a good girl even when I don't like what's happening around me. He said that sometimes you just have to sit and wait it out before making any rash decisions.
I wasn't really sure what he meant.
Riku ran his hands through my hair and told me to take care of myself. I smiled at him. "Hai!"
Then I watched them leave… they looked like they didn't want to, but as they pulled off… I never felt so…
Alone.
I bit my lip and sighed before finding Zell. He was always good at cheering me up. Zell was really nice, I told him about what was going to happen and he said that I shouldn't worry.
He held my hand the whole day. And when Kasai and Rakurai came to play with us… he made sure that I was okay. I was really sad when the twins' mom came to pick us up, I had to leave Zell. He was the only person left to remind me of all the great times I had before I met the twins and their mom.
"Hey, Sai and Rai… and how are you, Kai?" Their mom smiled at me, like I was supposed to already like her or something.
I didn't say anything. I just stared up at her blankly. There was part of me that just refused to give into anything she wanted.
"I think Kairi is mad at us, mom…" Kasai said briskly.
"Kairi! I'm sorry!" Rakurai yelped suddenly, looking upset.
It was then that I felt guilty about my discomfort with the twins… it wasn't their fault that their mommy was a kid snatcher.
I bit my lip again and took Rakurai's hand. "Sorry…" I mumbled. Rakurai smiled and pulled me over to Kasai, who took my hand quickly and looked away.
I giggled at little at him. Kasai always seemed kinda quiet in a mean sorta way, but he really just wanted to be friends.
"Well, let's get going! Your father is making omurice for dinner!" Lacey said with an excited voice.
"Yeah!" Kasai and Rakurai shouted excitedly. I just followed them as they made their way to the car. When Lacey opened the door, there were three car seats in the back. Kasai climbed into his seat and Lacey lifted Rai into the one in the center. She turned to me and moved to pick me up.
Now I was not having that!
"No!" I shouted and clambered into the car myself. I even buckled myself in so that she wouldn't have to touch me.
"Wow, that's great that you can do it by yourself, your father taught you well," she said with a smile.
"Don't talk about my Daddy!" I snapped, I was even surprised myself at how nasty I was being. I didn't know I had it in me.
"Mommy, I think we should just go home," Kasai said sharply.
"Alright, Sai… I got it," Lacey said and got into the car.
The drive to the twins' house wasn't that long, Rakurai made sure to point out all the interesting things in their neighborhood. I smiled at him, "Maybe we could play on the playground together?" I asked.
"That sounds like a great idea!" Lacey said and I frowned.
I wasn't talking to her.
"I'm hungry…" Kasai mumbled.
"Well, it's a good thing we're home then, huh?" Lacey said with a smile and I looked out the window to see the biggest house I had ever seen in my entire life.
"I want you show Kairi our toys!" Rai piped.
"Eat first, Rai…" Kasai unbuckled his brother and himself before climbing out of the car. I followed them and Sai took my hand and gave it a squeeze.
I think he knew that I wasn't really ready for this. He knew that I didn't want to be here.
"Dad's omurice is the best!" Rai said and we moved into the house. "Come see my dad toss the rice in the pan! It's so cool!" he continued and we moved to the kitchen…
It smelled really good in there.
"Konban wa, chibi!" a deep voice called by the stove. I looked in amazement as he tossed the rice into the air before catching it in the pan.
"Chibi ja nai yo!" Kasai snapped and Raikurai giggled.
"K… konban wa…" I replied quietly, unsure if the greeting was directed to me at all. The man turned off the stove and put the pan on it before turning to look at me.
"Watashi no namae wa Toshiya… Toshi desu!" he said, his voice warm and inviting.
I smiled. "Kairi desu!"
"Well, Kairi, would you like some omurice?" he asked and I nodded.
"Onegaishimasu…"
"Kairi, dad's not finished with dinner yet, so come see our room! She's gonna stay in our room right, Mommy?" Rakurai babbled excitedly.
"If that's what she would like," Lacey said and I gasped when Rai pulled me down the hall.
"M-matte! Jenova!" I yelped when I realized I had left her in my bag.
Lacey placed my bag down and unzipped it. She moved to grab Jenova and I pulled away from Rai to save her.
"NO!" I yelled and grabbed Jenova before she could touch her. "Don't touch her!" I snapped before running back down the hall, away from Lacey.
Kasai moved over to his mother and gave her a hug and a smile before moving back down the hall.
Whose side was he on?
I sighed and entered the twins' bedroom, which was cooler than Chuck E. Cheese! There was a whole play structure in there! And a bunch of video games and movies and toys. I actually got lost in the fun of it all when I heard the call that dinner was ready.
I sat between Sai and Rai, which was fine because I didn't want to sit next to the child stealer.
"Tadaa!" Toshi-san came into the room with an armful of plates. He gave one plate of food to each of us and I was surprised to see a smiley face in ketchup on my omurice.
"Wow!" I said without really thinking. "Arigato, Toshi-san!" I looked around at everyone's plate and saw that each person had different designs in their ketchup.
Kasai had a flame design and Rai's food had a bolt of lightning on his.
Lacey's had a heart, which she 'awwed' at before planting a kiss on her husbands cheek.
"Itadakimasu!" Rakurai said and everyone followed before digging in.
I took a bite of mine and I was amazed by how yummy the food was. "Oishi!" I called out.
"I'm glad you like it." Toshi-san said and smiled at me.
"So how did everyone's day go?" Lacey asked.
"The teacher asked us to write about our favorite toy! I wrote about the remote control car you got me for my birthday last year, then she let me draw a picture of it! She said it was really good!" Rakurai said.
"What did you write about Sai?" Lacey asked.
"I wrote about how I liked playing with Rakurai better than playing with toys… I don't think the teacher liked it…" he mumbled and Lacey frowned.
"Kasai, I'm sure she liked it a lot, but that's not what she was asking you to do was it?"
Kasai shook his head.
"I'm sure the next prompt will be better Sai. Don't worry about it," Lacey said and ran a hand through his hair.
"I didn't like playing with toys all that much when I was your age, Sai. In fact, I had a best friend named Goro-kun… I played games with him much more," Toshi-san said.
"I wrote about Jenova… Sephiroth gave her to me and told me to take good care of her…" I said out loud, my mouth betraying me.
Lacey smiled. "She must be really special to you," she said.
"Yeah, if I take good care of her, I won't get taken away from Daddy…"
"I'm done…" Kasai said to break the silence that followed.
Lacey stood and picked up the plates that were empty. She looked at me with a gentle smile, "You should finish your food, I know it's been a long day."
I bit my lip… her eyes were so sincere and her voice smooth and light.
I nodded and continued to eat until my plate was clean. She picked up my plate after I was done. "Sankyuu…" I said quietly before sliding off the chair and heading back towards the playroom.
"Mommy isn't so bad… she wants to take care of you…" Kasai said from his spot on a beanbag.
I frowned. "I don't care… I just want to go home…"
"B-but, we're family! You are our big sister!" Rakurai yelped.
"No, you're my friends… I don't have any siblings…" I replied.
"We have the same mom, that makes us brother and sister," Kasai pushed.
"I don't have a mom," I said firmly.
"Yes you do!" Rakurai replied.
"No, I don't… I have two dads and no brothers and sisters," I felt my heart begin to pound at the way the twins were ganging up on me.
"Everybody has a mommy, Kairi… you have one mom and one dad and two brothers. Stop lying… we only want you to be with your family," Kasai said.
"No! I don't have a mommy! I have two dads! Sora and Riku! That's it!" I snapped.
"No! That's not right!" Rakurai yelled.
"Stop lying to yourself!" Kasai suddenly yelled angrily, his eyes flashing with a fiery temper I hadn't seen before.
"I'm not lying! I only have two dads! I don't want a mommy! Stop trying to force me!" I cried.
"Our mommy is your mommy, Kairi! We're only trying to tell you the truth!" Rakurai and Kasai yelled together.
That's finally when I snapped.
"NOOOOOOO! Stop! I WANT MY DADDY! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed and sobbed. I fell to the floor and pounded on it angrily. "I WANT MY DADDY AND 'TOU-SAN! OTOU-SAN! DADDY! COME GETME!" I screamed again through my breathless sobs. I never felt so desperate. I needed my Dad… I didn't like it here… I didn't belong!
"What's going on in here?" Lacey said as she moved through the doorway.
"Kairi keeps lying that she isn't our sister!" Rakurai cried.
"She wants to go home to her dad… she doesn't like the truth…" Kasai said with a frown.
"DADDY!" I cried out.
"Kairi, shhhh… can you look at me please?" Lacey very gently took my face and I turned my angry glare to her.
"I don't like it here!" I snapped and tried to push her hand from my face.
"Kairi, I am your mother… and Sai and Rai are your siblings… but that doesn't mean that you can't have other family members. You can have two daddies too… and that is fine with me… I want you to be happy and I'll accept whatever you throw at me, as long as it will put a smile on your face," Lacey said her eyes boring into mine.
"I just… I d-don't want t-to leave m-my daddies!" I hiccupped before falling into another fit of sobs.
"Kairi, I only want what's best for you… and if that means seeing you less, than I will… I'll be very sad, but I'll do it, okay?" she said softly before she scooped me up and wrapped her arms around me.
"Baby mine, don't you cry… baby mine, dry your eyes… rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine," I gasped when Lacey began to sing softly in my ear.
I felt my heart slow to a calm and my sobs lessen to soft huffs as I listened to her sing.
"If they knew all about you, they'd end up loving you too… all the same people who scold you, what they'd give just for the right to hold you…" she continued and that's when I realized that I wrapped my own arms around her.
I had never felt someone so soft… and she… smelled so good… sweet and gentle.
"From your head down to your toes, you're not much, goodness knows… but you're so precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine…" She rocked back and forth and I felt safe… I was warm and safe…
And that scared me.
A/N: So yeah, my mom used to sing Baby Mine to me when I was little, so I felt that it was the best song to put here to sway Kairi's emotions. Let me know what you think.