Place usual disclaimer here.
Author's note: Again, this is directly after my last sentence in part 2.
Like Brother and Sister
" Where did you get that? " Cat hissed.
Angel dropped the gun on Heero's coat. She picked it up and ran into the living room.
" Duo! " She cried.
When Heero saw her with a gun, he tackled her to the floor. He grabbed the gun away, but when he took a good look at weapon, he stuck it in his back pocket.
" Thats my gun. " He stated flatly, picking himself up.
As soon as he was all the way up, Angel shot through the doorway and jumped on him snarling.
" Angel stop! " Cat yelled.
The wolf got off Heero and walked over to Cat. He sat by her calmly, but never took his eyes off Heero.
" Whats goin' on here? " Duo asked.
" She had a gun, " Heero told him, " she had my gun. "
" Exactly! He had a gun! " Cat shouted.
Duo started to laugh his head off, " He always has a gun, nothin' new there. " He took a closer look at the gun and gave Heero a funny look, " Is that the same gun you tried to shoot Relena with? "
Heero nodded, and Duo started to laugh even harder. Cat didn't see what was so funny. She decided to go to bed, the skating had tired her out, plus she had to work tomorrow.
* * *
The alarm startled Cat so bad she fell out of bed. She raced around, ate, showered, dressed, and ran out the door. It was 8:00am when she got to the store. Susan was sitting behind the check-out desk.
" Well good morning . . . I forgot to ask your name, how silly of me. " Susan laughed at her forgetfulness.
" Oh, my name is Cat. "
Susan looked out the window at Angel, who was sitting outside the door, " Poor thing is gonna freeze, he can come in but he has to stay in the back, okay. "
Cat brought the wolf in and sent him to the back room, he curled up next to the heater and went to sleep. When Cat came back out, Susan handed her a bunch of forms.
" All employees have to fill out those forms, only fill in what your comfortable with. "
Cat began to fill it out, when she came across last name. She thought for a few moments and decided to use Duo's last name since she couldn't remember her own. Susan put Cat to work as soon as she handed the papers back. At lunch Susan started to talk about her family life, not that it was any of Cat's business.
" I never got any grandchildren, my only daughter died in a car accident at the age of twenty. " Susan looked at Cat and smiled warmly, " maybe you should be my granddaughter. "
Cat was so surprised and happy by the question she started to cry, " I never new any of my family except for my brother Solo, he died. Now I have a brother and a sister and a grandmother. This is the best Christmas I ever had. "
Susan put an arm around Cat's shoulder, " Don't cry, you'll make me feel bad for making my first grandchild upset. "
Cat started to laugh at the concern. She gave Susan a hug, and they had a great talk. Pretty soon Susan knew all about Cat's horrible past. She was very concerned for Cat, and told her so, all day.
* * *
Cat had been working at Susan's store for about a week and a half. Christmas was coming up soon, so the tree at Duo and Hilde's was getting piled with presents. The store waas closing soon. Cat was in the back room cleaning up and Angel usual place by the heater. The bells in the front rang but Susan was out there so Cat stayed where she was. Angel started to growl low in his throat.
" We're lookin' fer a girl, " She heard a man state, " Shes 'bout fifteen, an' she belongs ta us. "
Cat sank to the floor, they found me. I tried to hide, but they finally found me.
* flashback *
" Hey little girl, wheres yer momma and daddy now? " The soldier sneered at her.
Angel snarled from where he was chained to the wall. Cat knew what was coming next. They were going to rape her again. The two soldiers had taken her in when she was thirteen and started abusing her.
" Nobody ta save ya! Ahahahaha! Yer all alone! " The other soldier pushed her onto the bed and licked his lips, this one was always so rough and cruel. He would cut her with a sharp knife, just enough that it stung. It was torture.
There was a loud ripping sound as the chain holding Angel back snapped. He lunged at the two men and clawed them. Cat and Angel left them bleeding on the floor. The last thing Cat heard was one of the soldiers yelling, " We'll find ya some day, you can't hide forever! "
* end flashback *
" I'm sorry, no-one is here but me, I assure you there are no girls of fifteen here. You have to be older then eighteen to work for pay. " Cat's eyes started to water. Susan was buying her some time.
She looked for a place to hide, when she spotted the air duct. She climbed up on a stack of boxes and slid into the opening in the wall. Angel jumped up behind her and crawled in. Cat reached over and closed the grate. She buried her face in Angel's fur and started to cry. She could here the men destroying the store.
" Please stop! " Susan pleaded, " This is my only means of support. Your wrecking it! "
" Tell us where the girl is! We know shes here, we been trackin' her fer along time! "
" Never! " Susan yelled at them.
Cat heard the gun shot and the soldiers laughing. They went through the store and when they didn't find Cat, they left, making jokes about what they had done. Cat climbed out the opening and ran to the front of the store.
" Susan! "
Susan was lying on the floor, blood was starting to pool around her. Cat picked Susan up and held her in her arms.
" Please don't die, I'll call an ambulance, everything will be okay. " She pleaded with the dying lady.
" Cat . . . " Susan whispered hoarsely, " I really did love you, I hope you will always remember me as your grandmother and not just your employer . . . promise? "
Cat nodded, and looked for the wound. Susan had been shot in the side somewhere. It was impossible to determine what the bullet had injured. The only grandmother she ever knew was dying in her arms and there wasn't a single thing she could do. Susan sighed and closed her eyes.
" Susan! Susan wake up! Susan! " Cat screamed. " Noooooo ! "
* * *
Cat sat on the couch with glazed eyes. Duo had picked her up at the police station an hour ago and she hadn't said a word since. He tried to get her to eat something but when he talked to her she looked right through him. He watched Hilde lead her to bed. Cat followed like an obedient puppy. Angel was just as silent as Cat and followed along behind her.
Hilde came back downstairs and flopped onto the couch beside Duo. " Shes in shock. I think she blames Susan's death on herself. "
Duo sighed heavily, " I know how she feels. "
* Cat's nightmare *
" Please don't go Solo! " A five year old Cat pleaded.
" I gots ta go, the guys is all waitin' for me, " He grinned at her, " don't worry sis, I'll come back for ya. "
As Solo turned he started to shrivel and cough. She spotted Duo in the corner, the same thing was happening to him. Two faces floated in front of her. The two soldiers, taunting and teasing her. Cat screamed as loud as she could.
* end of nightmare *
The scream woke Duo and he went running to Cat's room. He threw the door open and saw Cat sitting up in bed, crying.
" Whats wrong Cat? " He asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
" I had a nightmare. I watched you and Solo die and the soldiers came back to get me. " She began to sob, and she hung onto Duo like he was going to disappear.
" Calm down. I'm here. I won't ever let those men hurt you. I promise. " He got up to leave but she wouldn't let go of him, " Do you want me to stay a while? "
She nodded, so he laid down next to her. She curled up against his side and instantly fell asleep. The way she was leaning against his side, if he moved she would wake up. He stayed there, and she slept peacefully the entire night.
Author's note: So is it getting interesting? I made the mistake of letting Bara hve a tiny bit more coffee. She took the whole can and is hiding somewhere. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Bara: Whahahahahaha! * laughs evily from some unknown place * Heeheehee! Coffee, coffee, coffee!
Tsuki: If you see her . . . run away. She is dangerous and I can't be held responsible for any damage she cause to living or non-living things. Oh, there are still a few more parts to come. I think the ending might actually be happy. Anyone who has read Bara's earlier stories knows what I mean.