"Setsu, come." Cain says tugging on my arm.

"Kyoko!" Shotaro shouts and I feel my body tense. My vision blurs as every verbal insult he ever threw at me floods my memory.

"Setsuka." Cain says pulling my frozen body into his arms. "Setsu, do you know a Kyoko?" he asks prompting me to look up into his blue gray eyes.

"N, no?" I say unsure.

"I don't either." he says. "Fuwa-san must be delusional."

"Bullshit! I'm not delusional. That little slut is mine." Shotaro says and I can feel his hands all over my body. It makes me sick.

"Come, Setsuka." Cain says in English. "I don't want you hanging out with such a vile creature any longer than necessary." In my ear he whispers, "I'm here. I've got you."

"Nii-san, I think Fuwachi-san might be lost." I say in the best Setsuka voice I can muster.

Shotaro stops in his tracks and looks at us uncertainly.

"Fuwachi, did you lose something?" Cain asks his fingers curling around my waist. Shotaro's eyes zero in on the movement. "We can't help you. Unless you need help getting a closer look at the floor."

"That's so nice of you nii-san. You could press his face right into the grout so he could see it better. What an amazing nii-san I have." I hug him tightly and kiss his cheek.

Shotaro squints at me and cocks his head. He knows that Kyoko would never kiss anyone willingly. Public displays had always made me uncomfortable.

"Nerve mind. I thought you looked a little similar to this whore I once knew but now that I think about it, she never would have had the guts to dress like you. She was a spineless weak little nobody. Completely unsexy and the most boring person you've ever met. There's no way she would agree to whatever this situation is." Shotaro says and I release an internal sigh of relief.

"Perhaps it was you who were boring Fuwachi." Cain says and I stiffen in his arms. Don't pick another fight with him Kuon. Let's just go. "This girl you lost wouldn't dress like this for you, but I bet I could draw her sexiness out. I…" I pinch his arm and glare up at him.

"Nii-san isn't allowed to do anything with any other girl. That kind of talk will get you punished." I say and he smiles down at me.

"Now Setsu you know you're my only girl. If you must punish me however then we should head back to our hotel."

"Hey, wait!" Shotaro takes a step after us, but Cain fixes him with a death glare.

"You are not allowed to join us. She is mine." Cain says his arms pulling me impossibly tighter to himself.

"But you're siblings, aren't you?" Shotaro asks looking perplexed. His eyes are still scanning mine searching for the familiar features of Kyoko.

"And so, what if we are? She is mine and I am hers. If she wants to strap me to a bed and whip me then that is our business." He says and Shotaro has the audacity to blush. He used to brag about things like that all the time with his friends. Not that I had ever let him whip me, but he would say I did. "Right Setsu?

"Yes, Nii-san. I want to punish you but then you can have whatever you'd like as a reward." I say with a devious grin. Shotaro's face loses color. The Kyoko he knew would never say such words in this context. "You could even tie me up if you'd like." I add and his face contorts even more. The look in his eyes says, 'How could I think this was Kyoko?'

"Then we should go." Cain says guiding me down the hall.

This time Shotaro does not follow us, and I release a sigh of relief. My legs feel like jelly, so I lean into Kuon.

"Shh, it's ok. You're ok. I've got you." He soothes in my ear as we enter the bus. He bypasses Woods-san and takes me to the bathroom. I hadn't even realized I've been crying until he pulls my face to his chest. "Shhh, Kyoko. Shhh."

I cling to him. Wrapping my arms and legs around his body as I sob. Shotaro was too close. He had almost found me out. He had found me out actually, but Kuon had tricked him. How long will it be before Shotaro realizes he'd been lied to? What will he do? How will he hurt me? Will he take my baby?

"Shh." Kuon's breath caresses my ear. "No one's going to hurt you. I've got you." He kisses my ear and I shudder leaning into his chest. His scent brings me comfort as his hands rub up and down my back.

After I have calmed down some, I feel Kuon pull away. My arms and legs tense around him not wanting to let go. He kisses my ear again and pats my back.

"I'm just going to grab your clothes." He says prying my hands from around his neck. "I promise I'll be right back, and I won't leave you again."

With a chaste kiss to my lips, he disentangles my legs from his waste and pulls away. I let out a pitiful whimper but restrain myself from jumping down from where he placed me on the sink and chasing after him. I feel cold and frightened when he's gone. My skin prickles and warning bells go off in my head that Shotaro is coming. I'm half afraid it will be him walking through the door when it reopens. He'll come in and seize me by my hair. He'll drag me back to his place and force me to be his servant again. I'll never get to see my son again. I'll never be safe and warm in Kuon's… Kuon walks in again ending my frantic thoughts. He smiles warmly at me, and I want to jump into his arms.

"Here get dressed. I'll be right here." He says pointing to the corner of the tiny bathroom. I take my clothes and watch him curiously as he turns to stare at the wall.

The gesture of privacy brings a smile to my face. He doesn't have to do it. I know what he wants from me, and I wouldn't put up a fight fi he took it. Still, it's sweet that he is being so nice about our arrangement. I dress quickly in Tina's clothes and jump down taking the few steps necessary to come up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist.

"Thank you." I whisper into his back.

His large hands take mine and he turns in my embrace. A warmth spreads through me as his lips descend onto my forehead. One kiss then another and another across my head. His hands come up to cradle my face and I feel like I'm some precious thing as his kisses travel to my cheek.

"I'm going to change my clothes now." His whisper caresses my cheek. "You can stay right here if you want to. Stay right by my side. I won't let anybody hurt you. I promise."

I nod and reluctantly I let him let me go. He steps around me and it's my turn to face the wall. I hear the rustle of fabric and imagine his bare muscles. I wonder how they would feel against my skin.

"Kuon?" I say his name once the rustling is done and we stand in silence for a moment too long.

"Yes, love?" he answers and to my relief his arms snake around my body pulling me against his chest. I hug his arms to me breathing in his deep calming scent. After what feels like forever but doesn't last long enough, he says, "We should get home to our baby."

I nod snuggling in tighter to his chest. Wordlessly he lifts me up and carries me to our seat on the bus. Woods-san says nothing but her worried eyes scan over me.

Once we are home Kuon takes my hand and guides me off the bus. We bow to Woods-san who tells us to take care of each other then we head inside. Julie-san and Kuu-san are there with my baby. I run over feeling safe enough in this house to let go of Kuon's hand. I take my baby and hug him close to me almost crying.

"Tina-chan what's wrong?" Julie asks throwing a glare at her son. "Did my idiot son say something mean again?"

I shake my head and Kuon grumbles something about it always being his fault.

"I'll be in my office if you need me." Kuon says to the room, but I know he's talking to me.

"What could any of us possibly need you for?" Julie-san asks with a teasing smile.

"Oh, I don't know mother. Maybe you want me to go for a walk with this one later. Hang decorations. Give another tour of the house. Things you are perfectly capable of doing yourself but that wouldn't fit into your schemes if you did." Kuon says earning a scowl from his mother.

"I do not scheme." Julie-san says indignantly.

"You were scheming two minutes ago to throw a Christmas party and hang mistletoe everywhere." Kuu-san says.

Julie-san shrugs. "I'm not the one who bought the mistletoe or suggested having someone follow them around with it on a stick."

"Why would they follow us with mistletoe?" I ask wondering at this odd family custom.

"Never mind that." Kuon says patting my head. "If you need me, I'll be in my office. If they need me, you are welcome to come hide in my office with me."

"You will be coming to the Christmas party won't you Kuon?" Julie-san asks chasing after him.

"Are you really throwing a Christmas party?" I ask taking a seat on the sofa.

Kuu-san smiles at me and opens his arms for my son. A bit reluctant I hand him over and watch as Kuu-san gently cradles the baby.

"Yes. Christmas as it turns out is going to be a very important day for our family." Kuu-san says, and I cock my head in confusion. Going to be? "Christmas eve is Maria-chan's birthday you know. And Christmas day is," he pauses to smile warmly at me, "very special too."

My heart skips. Christmas day was the day I learned I was pregnant. It would be a year since I was thrown out to live on the streets. I feel a sudden urge to take my baby and run before they can kick me out. Oddly enough the only place I can think to run to in the moment is Kuon's office. Would he save me if his parents decided to throw me away? No, he has no reason to be that selfless. I have nothing to offer him for such kindness.

"You will be our honored guest at the party, won't you?" Kuu-san asks startling out of my thoughts. "Do you think you could convince my grumpy son to come out and spend the evening with his family? He'll listen to you."

"Well, I," I can't exactly refuse. It isn't like I have anywhere else to go but it'll be depressing celebrating Christmas when nobody knows that it's my birthday. Almost as depressing as celebrating it back when nobody cared that it was my birthday. Back when I cherished my one inexpensive gift while watching Shotaro roll his eyes at the countless expensive presents he received every year. I don't know where Kuu-san got the idea that I could convince Kuon to attend a party.

"You will come. I know you will and Kuon will be by your side. That boy is too much like his father not to come with you." Kuu-san says.

"Can I just get some work done please?" Kuon pleads coming back out of his office with his mother following on his heels.

He walks straight over to his father and takes my baby from him. Then cradling Rick in one arm he pulls me up lacing his fingers with mine.

"We need to go to the restaurant to check up on some things." And get away from his parents is what he doesn't want to say. They are perfectly loving and doting. I don't know why he never wants to be around them.

He gathers some of Rick's things and sweeps me out the door in a hurry. I don't protest because I want to see the Darumaya couple, but I should really try harder to get him to sit down and talk to his parents. Maybe I will beg him to attend the Christmas party.