Chapter 30. The worst

[She was trembling ever since she touched the wounded lotus. Learning the painful and hurtful meaning of her father words made a deep wound in her heart. She was also trembling because of the second lotus she accidently touched.

She doesn't understand what was happening. But there was something very clear in that lotus memories. She was being abandoned from her parents. The pain of hearing 'the mother' wanting her to die…

All of those things was just too much for her. She didn't understand any of it, but the emotions in that lotus felt like it imprinted deep into her. She didn't want to feel this. She wish she didn't go to that place to find out what her father's words meant. Then she wouldn't be feeling this hurt. She wish she didn't touch the second lotus, then she wouldn't feel these horrible pain of being abandon and left to die.

She desperately wanted to be hug by her parents. It always felt so warm and safe when she was hugged in their arms. She desperately need comfort. She was currently terrified and shocked at the memories she saw and her little mind and body was having a hard time enduring it.

She only noticed her father was here when she suddenly heard his groan. She immediately flinched, remembering what her father had been saying to her all this time. Foolish and naïve girl. It was an insult and mocking towards her. After knowing the meaning of those words, she couldn't approach her father like she used to do. Saying those words to her, doesn't that mean he didn't like her this whole time? She nervously looked at her father as she didn't know what to do.

Her father was different today. She couldn't explain what it was but he felt different…like more…dangerous and unstable. She could see he was irritated and disturbed at something. Because of her father mood, she felt more uneasy and nervous toward him.]

"Nagi…"

[She looked at him as he called her. He was calling her right? After all, he called her Nagi almost every time they met. So it must mean 'Nagi' is her name. She carefully started to approach her father because…he called her.]

"What?"

[She froze as her father suddenly started to stare at her. She felt very uneasy and nervous that she couldn't help but lower her face from him. But…]

"…Nagi."

[He called her again. She didn't have a choice but look at her father again. She nervously lift her face and looked at him. Her heart started to beat fast as she instantly notice something was wrong. The sudden shock on her father's face and then…her father's rage. Just in a short moment she could feel his rage towards her. But why? She couldn't understand why he was so angry at her. She didn't do anything wrong right? All she did was responding at her name.]

"You foolish and naïve girl!"

[A very sharp pain was stabbed into her heart. It felt so hurtful to hear 'that' after knowing the meaning of those words. Why is he suddenly saying that to her? Why is he suddenly so angry at her? Why is he looking at her with such hatred? She couldn't understand any of this. She couldn't know what she had done wrong to anger her father this much.

She couldn't help but gather tears in her eyes. She felt so hurt of being hated from her father. Please could you just tell me why you're so angry at me? I'll try to understand it and fix it. Please just tell me…]

"I've never wanted you in the first place!"

[…She wish she couldn't understand his words but she did. She completely understands it and her father's emotions toward her was telling her that was the truth. Tears started to run down her face. She never felt this unwanted and hurt before. But the worse wasn't over. She was terrified and shock as her father suddenly grabbed her neck and knock her down to the ground.

It made her remember the first time she met her father. It was the same as her father immediately starts to choke her. She couldn't breathe and her neck hurts so much. It was so painful and her lungs felt like it was on fire. She struggle with all her might and tries to move away her father's large and strong hands from her neck. But her hands were too small and weak to remove his hands.

She didn't want to die. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live and…get born someday. She had to struggle to be alive ever since she was able to think and have conscious. She had a strong desire to live. She didn't want to die!

She kick him and even scratch his hands but nothing seemed to work. Tears were falling unstoppably. She met her father's eyes which had so much anger and hatred toward her. But I still love you. Is it so wrong to wish to be loved too? That was all I ever wanted from you. Even if you never wanted me in the first place…why do you have to do this to me?]

Mukuro could actually sense what she was saying to him as their eyes met. How she was hurt and terrified but still loves him. All she ever wanted from him was to be loved. How she couldn't understand why he had to be so cruel to her. Mukuro could feel all of that. But he didn't care. He just felt a huge urge to kill his daughter.

[Her body started to flinch as she was being choke to death. It was so painful. She was scared. She could feel her mind was about to fall into darkness and…die. She was terrified and scared.

Suddenly she felt a flame coming out from her body and quickly moving to her father. She recognized that flame. It was that small part of her mother's special flame that stayed with her when she reach out to it. The flame that gave her strength to survive. The moment she felt her mother's special flame move away from her she suddenly felt an enormous urge to absorb her mother's flame. However she was able to suppress that urge since the urge to survive from her father was stronger. She took out a large breath and cough as soon as she suddenly felt her father's hands finally stop choking her. His hands were still on her neck but wasn't choking her anymore.]

Mukuro felt like his mind was knock down hard as soon as he suddenly felt a flame invade into him. His sight got blank the moment the flame knock his mind. He felt dizziness and pain. The flame that invaded into him was actually fighting something inside his mind. It felt like a long time to Mukuro but it was only a short moment for the flame to drive away that thing that was inside his mind which Mukuro didn't even knew. The flame also vanished as if it used all its power to drive away that thing.

As soon as that thing was gone in his mind, Mukuro could literally feel the anger and hatred inside him vanish. His sight also recover and the first thing he saw, Mukuro felt his heart drop. He could see the little girl coughing out loud and trying to breathe. Her face was covered with her tears and he could still see the terrified and hurt emotions stained in her face. Worst of all, he could see his hands still on the little girl's neck. He immediately let go of the little girl's neck in shock. While still coughing, the little girl struggle away from him and ran away.

"W-Wait!"

He couldn't help but cry out to her. But her body vanished which meant she left the illusion world. Mukuro let out a rapid breath and look down at his hands. He could see scratch marks all over his hands. The evidence of what he had just done.

"What have I just done…"

Mukuro woke up and let out a rapid breath just as if he woke up from a nightmare. It would had been better if it really was just a nightmare. Mukuro sat up from his bed. His cloth was wet with cold sweats. Mukuro look down at this hands. Although it happened in the illusion world, he could see the desperate scratch marks the little girl had made on his hands. Her desperate will was strong enough to make a real mark on his physical body. Mukuro's heart started beat even faster as he clearly remembers what happened in the illusion world.

'You foolish and naïve girl!'

He could remember her hurtful expression and it meant she understood what he was saying. He remembers what he sense from her. Wondering if she did something wrong and asking why he was so angry at her. And the words he shouted at her the moment she question that…

'I've never wanted you in the first place!'

He hurt her in a terrible way. She doesn't deserve that. She doesn't deserve any of that. She was just a little girl…no a 'baby' who just loves her parents and wanted to be love back and…wish to be born one day. Mukuro could feel his body trembling. He tried to kill her again…and Mukuro could finally admit that was wrong. Mukuro clenched his hands hard at the memory of what he had done. He looked down at his hands and something caught his eyes.

"What?"

The two Hell rings had Mist flame on it. Cold chill went through Mukuro's body. The sudden anger and hatred he felt toward his…daughter… This couldn't be a coincidence. Mukuro immediately took off the two Hell rings from his fingers and throw it hard across the room. If it was the past, Mukuro wouldn't took it off because he would think it was a foolish thing to give up the Hell ring's power just because it was dangerous. However Mukuro wasn't that person anymore who wants power no matter what…instead he felt all of this power hungry thing meaningless. Because of this cursed Hell rings, he done an unforgivable thing to his daughter just by being triggered at a simple thing.

"Nagi…"

Mukuro buried his face in his hands. He never imagined she would think her name was Nagi and Mukuro immediately realized it must be because of him. Since he spoke out 'Nagi' almost every time they met. It was obvious for her to think her name was Nagi…the name given by her father. And yet he let out an anger toward that innocent child.

Mukuro tried to reach the little girl with their mind connection. He could feel the wounded and terrified mind of hers. Refusing all her might at him. Mukuro let out a painful groan. He didn't want to force her and he fears he might hurt her again. But leaving her alone after all this, didn't seemed right either. Mukuro didn't know what to do. He could feel guilt eating him up.

Erica was getting very concern about Chrome. Chrome's depression had clearly gotten worse. Although Chrome was being quiet and calm like she always do, Erica could see changes of sorrow, anxiety, stress and anger quickly changing in Chrome's single purple eye. Her mind and emotions were clearly unstable. Erica hesitated for a moment but soon carefully approach Chrome. To ease the depression, Chrome had to at least let out the reason of her depression.

Chrome raised her face and looked at Erica as she noticed Erica approached her. Since Chrome showed a little sign of opening her heart to Erica, her mother started to approach her more often. Which was making Chrome's emotions much more unstable. Chrome will always feel the opposite emotions of rejection and longing at the same time. It made Chrome angry at herself that she was feeling this longing toward Erica.

"…Chrome, what's bothering you?"

Chrome just looked at Erica, but the hostile raising in Chrome's eye was a clear sign that she didn't want to talk about it. Erica felt hurt and nervous about this but she understands. This was a private topic and Chrome hasn't open up enough to talk about this.

"…You need to at least let some of it out. You're depression is getting worse every day."

"I don't want to talk about this."

Chrome knows Erica was right and she just wanted to help her. But Chrome didn't want to talk about her problems with Erica. Especially after clearly remembering the hospital event just a moment ago. It made her feel a huge repulsion. Also talking about her problem, her private inner struggle might make her heart open more toward Erica. Chrome tried to leave and end this uncomfortable conversation. But Erica quickly grabbed Chrome's hand.

"Nagi, wait!"

Chrome stopped. A sudden anger started to raise inside her. Hearing her real name, her given name from her mother…trigger Chrome to lose her patience. Chrome roughly pull out her hand from her mother and glared at her.

"What's bothering me? It's you! Why are you suddenly trying to be a mother again?"

That was only one of the reason of Chrome's depression but Chrome only let this one out to attack her mother.

"I…"

Erica wanted to talk but the shock she felt made it difficult. She knows her daughter has that anger toward her but hearing this directly with so much hostile and anger…it was more painful than she expected.

"I'm sorry for what I've did to you in the past… I've always regretted it and…I just want to fix…"

"Don't you think that's too late?"

"Nagi just…please… I want to be your mother again because I love you."

"Love me?"

That word actually made Chrome snapped. All the anger that was pile up inside her came out at once.

"If you really loved me, then how could you always ignored me when I reached out to you for help when my stepfather abused me?!"

Chrome could still clearly remember how irritated Erica was whenever she plead to Erica for help when she tried to tell her about the abuse. Erica never listen and wasn't even interest.

"I don't know why you brought me with you after your divorce, but if you loved me why did you neglect me at…everything?!"

Erica has only shown disinterest toward her during the second marriage. The disinterest then quickly turned into irritation and even hate toward her. There was never love.

"You weren't even sad at my funeral and even later after that!"

Chrome secretly came to her funeral after her fake death. It actually hurt Chrome when she easily noticed her mother wasn't even a bit sad about her death. Even after a few months later when Chrome saw her mother on the television, Erica was faking her sadness to other people.

"…After a year later from your funeral…I finally realized how much I've loved you…and miss you."

Erica know this would only be heard as an excuse. But she didn't want to lie. Lying would only make things worse. Every word Chrome was letting out to her was stabbing her heart. The most painful thing was, every word Chrome was saying was right.

"Why a year later? What made you suddenly realize that?"

"…I don't know."

Erica quickly closed her mouth. That answer was a mistake. It was the truth but she shouldn't have said that. Erica could see the coldness in Chrome's eye turning colder. Erica tried to explain.

"Please just…let me explain."

"You said you don't know. How can you explain what you don't know?"

"I don't remember the reason…I've tried but I just couldn't remember… But I'm not lying that I love yo…"

"If you loved me then how could you left me to die at the hospital?!"

Chrome cut off Erica's words and shouted at her. Speaking out the biggest pain her mother had done to her.

"I didn't! Nagi, everything happened so suddenly and fast, nobody expected you would die in just a few hours after the surgery. I wouldn't have left you to d…"

"You've got to be kidding me, chop up my own body for a child's sake."

Erica froze and she felt like she forgot how to breathe. Did Nagi just said…

"It isn't just me. No one wished for that child to stay alive this long."

"H-How…!"

Erica felt like she was going to have a panic attack. How did Nagi know what she said outside of the ICU that day?! Did this mean Nagi was hearing everything what she was saying?

"Why did you have me if you didn't even wanted me?!"

Chrome yelled at Erica with so much anger and hate toward her mother before she walked away. Erica stretched out her hand to Chrome but stopped at the middle of the air. She had no rights to be her mother again. Erica could only just watch her daughter walking away. Erica dropped her hand and lowered her face, while suppressing her sobs from coming out. She doesn't even deserve to cry.

[She couldn't stop crying. She slightly rubbed her neck with her hand, as the pain was still there. But her father's words and the fact that he tried to kill her, hurt more than the physically pain.

Mom! Mom! MOM!

She could only think of crying out for her mother like any other babies would do. It was the only thing she can do and desperate wanted. She wanted to see her mother. She wanted to be hugged by her mother and find comfort. But while crying out for her mother, she was feeling fear. Her mother never answered her call and always rejected her. Why would this time be different?

But to her surprise, she sense her mother in the illusion world! For the first time, her mother answered her desperate call! She tried to run toward her mother but soon noticed she couldn't move because her body was very small and weak right now. She was small just like the first time she met her mother in the illusion world. She didn't want to be this small right now. She wanted to be big just like when she always meets her…father. As soon as she desired that, she felt her body change and was big again.

Her heart started to pound fast as she saw her mother. It's been such a long time since the last time she saw her. She had a strong urge to run toward her mother and just hug her. However unlike her urge, she slowly and carefully walked toward her. Feeling very nervous and unsure. She could sense something wasn't right. Her mother wasn't smiling and it actually made her frighten to see her mother face with a frown. It wasn't how she remembers her mother. The joy she just felt was quickly turning into fear.]

Chrome wasn't feeling well. Actually she was feeling the worst. She let out all the anger she had buried for years at Erica and her emotions weren't settle yet. Instead her anger only seemed to get stronger by finally releasing it. Chrome lie down on her bed and closed her eyes, waiting for the anger to fade away or just go to sleep. Her mind felt numb as she was suddenly half asleep.

[…]

That irritating call she heard again… Chrome actually didn't want to answer it but she was currently angry and gotten very irritated at it. She never answer the call because she was avoiding Mukuro. But right now, she was angry enough to yell at his face to stop it. That was the only reason why she answered the desperate call.

Chrome frowned as she found herself in the illusion world as soon as she answer it. Her mind felt numb that she wasn't even sure if she was really in the illusion world or just dreaming right now. After all, she was dreaming a lot about her past these days. All those dreams felt real.

The illusion world was beautiful as it always been, but it was only giving Chrome unfortunate memories right now. Like how Mukuro had called her a foolish and naïve girl when she let out a courage to touch him. The lonely days of just waiting for Mukuro to come to the illusion world. The day when Mukuro cut off their mind connection… All those moments when she was the foolish and naïve Nagi. Because of that Chrome really hated Nagi. Her past and even still, her present self.

Chrome admit it. She actually hates herself. She never loved herself and she especially hated her young-self when she was just Nagi. That girl who couldn't do anything by herself and always wanted to rely on someone. Too timid, weak and useless. Chrome was feeling her bitter self-hatred shallowing her.

When Chrome noticed a little girl that looks just like her past, Nagi, Chrome made a conclusion that this wasn't the real illusion world but another one of her dream that felt so real. After all, how could you meet your past-self if it's not a dream? Chrome didn't look closely at the girl since she didn't want to see her. Chrome really hated her past. Because of that, Chrome just started to let out her anger toward herself.

"Go away."

Chrome could see her past-self stop approaching her the moment she heard her angry voice. The little girl seemed very confused and hurt by being rejected from her. It only irritated Chrome. Chrome always hated her timid and low self-esteem who couldn't stand for herself. Although Chrome knew it was a foolish thing to do, she started to let out her self-hatred toward her past-self.

"Stop wishing for someone to love you! Your father never wanted you to even be born and never loved you! Your mother stopped loving you because she thinks you aren't worth it. She even just wanted you to die! Haven't you ever learned your lesson that it is no use to wish or even desire to be love by your parents?!"

When she was Nagi she always wish her father would just even show a tiny love toward her. But he never did. Instead Nagi only found out that her father never even wanted her to be born. Nagi couldn't forget her mother's love she once had. Because of that memory, Nagi couldn't let go of the hope that her mother might still love her. But that foolish hope only made her more painful for years until she finally gave up. And yet, here she was finding herself unconsciously seeking her mother's love again when she was an adult!

"Just admit no one will ever really love you. Let go of that foolish and naïve hope you have! Maybe it was better for you to really just die when you almost did! Then you would had never need to go through all of these pain of getting rejected countless of time and having a stupid hope of getting accepted one day! It doesn't matter how hard you try because it's never going to happen!"

Chrome tried to change. But she always lacked courage when she was Nagi that she was never able to make any change. When she became Chrome, she foolishly fell in love with someone who was only using her. She knew that but still couldn't let go of her love toward him. Because of that she had to feel countless of rejection from Mukuro and even get abandoned twice! She just wanted to be next to him, but there was always that stupid hope that maybe if she tries to change and be better…Mukuro might one day accept her more. But it never seemed to work. Sometimes Chrome really wish she didn't survive that day when she was dying in the hospital.

She did finally started to have a relationship with him, but that was fake from the start. It changed real but Chrome didn't want to think about it. Because of that real relationship, it only ended up giving her more pain when she got betrayed.

Chrome felt like being stabbed in her heart, the more she let out anger and hate toward herself. But she just couldn't stop herself. She never once loved herself and there was so much hate toward herself. What else is she supposed to say to her past-self?

Chrome noticed the little girl in front of her was heavily crying and trembling. It only made Chrome angrier. She always hated her past-self who only knew to quietly cry when she was hurt. Chrome glared at her and shouted.

"Crying doesn't change anything! So just stop…!"

Chrome stopped shouting at her and completely froze in shock. The moment Chrome finally glared at her and met their eyes… Chrome felt her heart drop to the pit bottom. Her eyes weren't purple just like hers! Her eyes were blue just like Mukuro's! Chrome's face turned very pale and her body started to tremble as she realize who the girl really is and what she had just done.

"N-No…I-I didn't m-mean tha…"

Chrome tried to approach her. But the little girl immediately back away from her. No, she didn't meant this! She didn't know it was her!

"P-Please wait…!"

She needed to explain she never ever meant any of this to her. Chrome had imagine countless of time of meeting her daughter again in the illusion world. It was always a happy and warm imagination and Chrome would always hug her tight and tell her countless of times that she loves her. Chrome never imagined she would say so much hurtful words filled with hate and anger toward her daughter, even if it was a mistake.

It broke her heart to see her daughter crying so hurtfully like she lost any little hope she had. Chrome felt a strong urge to hug her daughter tight into her arms and try to comfort her. Chrome carefully grabbed her hand trying to pull her close but she immediately slapped away Chrome's hand and back away. Chrome felt an enormous pain like her heart getting deeply stabbed with countless of nails. Chrome was completely frozen on her spot at the shock of getting this rejection from her daughter. Their eyes met again and somehow Chrome could just sense what she was trying to say to her. It wasn't a language but Chrome could just know what she was saying.

[Why do you hate me so much?! I don't understand! What did I do so wrong?!]

"N-No, you didn't do anything wro…"

[You said you loved me! Why did you lie!]

"I-I lov…"

No, it was never a lie. It was the whole truth from her heart that she loves her! Chrome wanted to tell this to her but the sob which was trying to escape from her, made it difficult to talk. Also Chrome could sense the huge pain her daughter was feeling. The feeling of despair, sadness, hurt and anger was overwhelming. Chrome felt like she just wanted to cry out loud but couldn't because her daughter wouldn't stop shouting at her.

[Why do you hate me so much to kill me?! It really hurt...]

Tried to kill her? What was she talking about? But soon Chrome sense what she was talking about. She felt a painful and direct kick at her. Which was too painful for her to bear. Also Chrome forcefully used her flame right after getting kicked, which made her pain worse. Chrome felt like she couldn't breathe and her face was now sickly pale. Her baby felt that pain when Tigern kicked her stomach! And she made it worse by using her daughter's flame to escape from Tigern. Even though Chrome had no choice at that time…Chrome felt an enormous guilt and fear that she almost killed her baby because of it. She failed at protecting her and almost killed her. What hurt Chrome the most was that her baby believes Chrome did that to kill her.

[I called you… I always desperately called you… I just wanted to meet you but you always rejected me…]

"A-All along…it was…you?"

Chrome murmured in shock and guilt. All those desperate and pleading calls toward her...it wasn't from Mukuro…it was from her daughter. All this time she had been rejecting her own daughter? What have she done. What have she done! Chrome started to cry. She just wanted to hug her daughter and keep on telling her she was sorry and she loves her. But she back away again when Chrome tried to approach her.

[Why did you have me if you didn't even wanted me?!]

"!"

Chrome never felt this much pain in her heart to hear that from her daughter. It awfully hurts to sense her daughter's angry and sorrowful shouts toward her. She felt so guilty of what her ignorance and mistake had done to her daughter. Chrome wanted to persuade her daughter that this was a misunderstanding but she would back away whenever Chrome tried to approach her.

Chrome felt horror as she noticed the sudden change in her daughter's eyes. The anger was gone but…it turned into a hollow eyes with no lights. Chrome knows what kind of eyes those are. Because she saw it countless of time in the mirror when she was Nagi.

She gave up at everything. She just wanted everything to end now.

"Wait No!"

[She just wanted everything to end so she can't feel this pain anymore. Her mother was saying something to her but she didn't know what it was. She actually couldn't really hear what her mother was saying anymore. She refuse to hear it. Because her heart was already broken and shattered that she couldn't take anymore of her mother's hurtful words.

She had always wished to meet her mother again…but she never imagined it would be this painful. She never felt this hurt before. It hurts more than when her father suddenly tried to kill her again. She couldn't help but let out all the sorrowful emotions she had toward her mother. She learned the sorrow could easily turn into anger. After letting it out, she could only feel pain.

She had enough. She couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted this pain to go away. She wanted everything to end to stop all of this pain…

She started to absorb flame. But it wasn't her mother's flame. It was her own flame which she shared with her mother. She closed her eyes while feeling her flame returning back to her. When she opened her eyes again, she wasn't in the illusion world anymore. Instead she was in her dark place. This place used to be warm and comfortable…but it only felt cold and unwelcome now. She could sense her dark place was quickly getting weaker the more she absorbs her own flame.

She wanted this… No, she just didn't have any other choice. She didn't want to die. She was afraid of dying. But what else could she do? Both of her parents hate her and wants her dead. She would rather just quickly end this all. However she couldn't help but tremble in fear and sadness.]

Chrome woke up with the same horror she felt in the illusion world. She immediately burst out tears with guilt and regret at what she had just done. Chrome tries to reach her daughter but Chrome couldn't reach her. Since the baby had much more powerful flame than Chrome, the baby was able hide from her.

Chrome got out of bed. But as soon as she stand up, Chrome kneel down next to the bed, feeling an enormous pain on her abdomen. Chrome gasped out of pain. She could feel her womb's illusion was quickly getting weak! Chrome tried to strengthen her womb but it was no use. Chrome realized her flame has suddenly weaken a lot. No, that wasn't right. She could only use her own flame now. Chrome couldn't use her daughter's powerful flame anymore.

Chrome's breath started to become very rapid. Without her daughter's flame it's impossible to make her womb strong enough to maintain the pregnancy. Which means…she is having a miscarriage right now. The realization brutally hit Chrome.

'Help, please help! Anyone help!'

Chrome desperately thought. She wanted to shout out those words, but because of the shock and her rapid breath, it was almost impossible for Chrome to speak right now. She could only desperately plead it inside her mind. Chrome could feel the pain in her abdomen getting worse. Chrome could only think of calling out for help and currently there is only one person who could help her right now. Chrome opened her mouth but letting out her voice was much more difficult than she thought. She won't be able to call the person name.

Chrome tried to stable her rapid breath and cried out a simple word with all her strength.

"Mom!"

Erica was sitting on her bed. The guilt inside her was giving her an overwhelming pain. Nagi knows what she had said outside of the ICU 10 years ago… Erica admits with her whole heart, that she doesn't have any rights to even try to be Nagi's mother again. Erica let go of any little hope she had now. She doesn't deserve it.

'Why a year later? What made you suddenly realize that?'

"…I don't know. I really just don't know."

Erica murmured to herself. She desperately tried to remember why she suddenly started to mourn for her daughter's death a year later. She couldn't understand herself too. Why a year later? What happened in that particular day? Erica was trying very hard to remember that day. However she could only remember suddenly realizing how much her daughter really meant in her life and how much she had once loved her.

Erica could remember herself collapsing at the floor, crying. Finally truly morning for her daughter's death. Regretting all the things she did. But Erica couldn't remember what awaken her to. There must be a reason…but why can't she remember it?

Erica was now starting to have a headache at trying to remember something so hard. She was at her home at that moment… She was alone…

Suddenly Erica could blurry remember a person figure in front of her. No, she wasn't alone at that moment! There was someone! The figure looked like a girl but Erica couldn't remember anything more about that person. Erica was clinging onto that memory even though she was having a terrible headache by trying to remember it. However Erica snapped out of it as soon as she suddenly heard Chrome's terrified cry.

"Mom!"

Erica couldn't believe what she just heard. But soon immediately rush out from her room. Chrome's cry was urgent. Erica opened Chrome's room and found Chrome kneeling down at the floor with her arms wrapping around her stomach. Erica could see Chrome was in shock and panic.

Erica rushed to her daughter and also kneel down in front of her. Erica immediately press a number on her phone. It was an automatic urgent call to the foundation. The foundation will come here very soon now. Erica now needed to calm down Chrome. Erica wanted to embrace Chrome to help her calm down but hesitated to touch her. She knows that Chrome didn't like her to…

"!"

Chrome suddenly grabbed Erica and buried her face into Erica's chest. Erica was shock what just happened. But soon embraced her sobbing daughter.

"It's okay… Everything is going to be fine…"

Something happened. Erica doesn't what happened but something must have happened. Because Erica could hear and feel Chrome's fear, guilt and pain in her cries.

Something must have happened! Mukuro sensed Chrome's desperate plead and the thick wall between their minds became thin. The wall must have gotten thinner because of Chrome's desperate plead for help. Since the wall was thin making their mind connection stronger again, Mukuro could sense what the problem was. Chrome was currently having a miscarriage. Her illusion womb was now too weak to maintain the pregnancy. Mukuro didn't hesitate and used his flame to help strengthen Chrome's womb.

However this was only a temporary remedy. Even if he use all his flame to strengthen Chrome's womb, he could only maintain it for a few minutes. His flame was quickly drying out. He needed another solution. The only being who could maintain Chrome's womb strong enough for the pregnancy was the baby herself.

Mukuro took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was feeling uneasy at the thought of meeting her again because of what he did to her just a moment ago. However this was urgent. Mukuro tried to find the child's mind but it seemed like she was hiding. But Mukuro was one of the strongest illusionist in this world. With some desperate effort, he was able to sense the child's faint presence in their mind connection. Mukuro immediately forced her to the illusion world.

Mukuro found the girl lying on the ground. Her body was curled like a ball. Entering into the illusion world where it's actually their mind, Mukuro could understand what was happening. The little girl was refusing to give her flame to Chrome anymore. That was why Chrome's illusion womb was weaken. Mukuro quickly approach the little girl.

[She wished this will quickly end but it was progressing slower than she expected. She was trembling in fear as she could slowly feel herself dying. She didn't want to die. But she didn't want to feel this pain in her heart anymore that she would rather just die.]

"What are you doing?!"

[She opened her eyes as she recognized the familiar angry voice. Her father grabbed her.]

Mukuro immediately loosen his grip on the child. He immediately regrets that he yelled at her and even seemed to grab her too hard for a moment. He could see she was currently terrified. Mukuro tried to calm down himself. Scaring the child isn't going to solve or help anything. He needs to be very careful because…she was dying.

"Look…I don't know why you're doing this…but you're going to die if you don't let Chrome use your flame."

Mukuro wanted to curse. He was really bad at comforting someone. Especially a small child. It was a little relief that she wasn't trying to run away from him as he expected. But the little girl did something Mukuro never even imagine.

[She looked at her father. She heard anger in his voice and she can't even guess why…again. He was saying something but it was difficult for her to understand most of his words. As if her mind connection with her father had gotten very weak.

She could only understand that he was talking about flame again. But why? She wasn't absorbing her mother's flame right now. She tried not to think about that. Because her instinct and urge of absorbing her mother's flame was very strong after she lost her mother's special flame. Also who is 'Chrome' her father is talking about? She was curious for a moment but decided not to think about it. She was too tired and weak to think now. She just want all of this to end.

She stretch her hands and grabbed both of her father's hands. He didn't reject her and instead his face turned brighter. She pulled his hands closer and he let her. Her father looked curious at what she was trying to do. But soon his face turned pale with disbelief.]

"What the hell are you doing?"

Mukuro angrily shout at her as soon as he realized what she was doing. But the anger quickly faded and he could only feel shock.

She placed Mukuro's hands on her neck. Just like how he choked her. It wasn't hard to understand what this meant. She wanted him to kill her.

A/N : Thank you for your review

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tsukikami02

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