A/n: I experienced writer's block during the last third of this chapter (even with an outline for the fic), which is why this chapter has taken so long to be put up. College, a job, and a touch of laziness are also to blame. I will try to put the following chapters more quickly.

Also, thank you to all of you that reviewed. And yes, Ruki and Rika are the same person. I'm just using the Japanese names.

Chapter 2: Everything's Gonna be Okay...It has to be

"She's dead," Ryo said sadly.

"What?!" Ruki cried

Rain started to fall.

"I saw it on the news, and I thought that maybe I could find you. I think whoever it was that killed my dad killed your mom, because, like him, her index finger was cut off. The worst thing for a person is to be alone when they find out something this big. Believe me, I know."

Ruki could only stare ahead of herself in shock. She didn't even do anything when Ryo wrapped his arms around her.

"The last thing I ever said to her was part of an argument," she sobbed.

"It's okay. It's okay." He whispered to her and rubbed her back, as the world around them darkened. "Ruki-chan, if you want you can stay with Kai and me for tonight. I'm sure he won't mind."

"I-I couldn't do that to you guys," she said softly.

"I insist. Come on." He urged.

When Ruki didn't answer he put his arm around her shoulders in an attempt to lead her to the house.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't like to be touched, especially from your reaction a few minutes ago."

"It's not your fault. I-I'm just a little--you know--apprehensive about all this. I mean who'd want to kill my mother?" She said as they walked on towards Kai's house.

Only a minute later it started pouring. They didn't reach the house about five minutes later, and they were both soaked.

Ryo left Ruki in the living room as he went to get some towels.

"Here." He said handing her a towel and some clothes.

She stared at the items he'd given her.

"You'd better not be thinking that I'm going to change in front of you."

"Not at all. You can change in the bathroom. It's the first door on the left down that hallway," he told her.

"Ryo..."

"Yes?"

"Thanks," she blushed.

"You're welcome," He answered, and headed to his room to get changed.

Ryo had finished getting changed before Rika did and flopped on the couch to watch TV. Ruki came out not much later and Ryo looked over the back of the couch at her. The clothes were too big for her and it looked like she could get lost in them.

"Where did you get these? They're way too big."

"I can't really help it that I'm bigger than you; besides you don't look too bad."

"I'm wearing your clothes!?"

"Point? Listen, Kai's more your size and I would've gotten you something of his, except his room is locked."

"It would be," she grumbled and flopped down on the other end of couch.

"Oh, cheer up Ruki-chan. If it makes you feel any better your clothes will probably be dry by morning."

"Why not just throw them in the dryer?"

"Broken."

The two of them sat staring at an infomercial about some kind of 'knife that could cut through anything' playing on TV for a while. Which reminded Ryo of something he had to tell Ruki.

"On the news they put out a bulletin to find you. They think that you did it."

"What?!" She nearly screamed, then calmed a little, "you don't actually think I did it...do you?"

He mockingly studied her thoroughly, and leaned close to her, and whispered his response to her.

"I don't see any thing in you that would want to kill anyone...but you never know. Maybe if I were to..." he said and, like a snake striking, planted a kiss on her cheek, then jumped off the couch. "...do something like that..."

"I'll get you for that!" She growled and chased after him.

Their playful chase lasted for a while, and they collapsed on the floor, too tired to get up.

"When I...catch my breath...we'll finish this." Ruki panted.

"If...we must." Ryo responded likewise.

But they fell asleep before they could.

Kai came home about an hour later and saw them lying on the floor, asleep. His eyes narrowed and he frowned.

"That's another thing you have that I don't." He mumbled to himself and left the two of them lying there

The next morning, Ruki found herself laying on something warm and comfortable Or it was until she realized that that 'something' was Ryo's chest, and his arms were wrapped around her. She quickly got up, which woke Ryo.

"Huh? Oh good morning Ruki-chan." He yawned.

Ruki just scowled and went to see if her clothes were dry so she wouldn't have to wear his anymore.

"Not a morning person, I guess." Ryo said to himself and headed off to the kitchen.

He stopped at a door and knocked.

"Kai!" He called.

Various crashes and curses were heard as well as a dead-bolt lock being undone. The door opened a little and a boy with long dark hair peered out through the crack in the door.

"What is it?" Kai asked annoyed.

"Aren't you going to get up?"

"Is it before noon?"

"Um, yeah."

"Then no." Kai answered then closed and locked the door again.

Ryo had finished making some breakfast when Ruki walked in.

"Hungry?" He asked her.

"No, I'll just eat something at home. Thanks for letting me stay here." She said and handed him the clothes he'd let her wear.

"Anytime Ruki-chan."

Ruki slowly walked along the rain-soaked streets toward her apartment. She stopped a couple times because she thought someone was following her, but no one ever was, and whenever she walked past people she'd hear people whispering.

As she neared her building she saw several police cars with their lights flashing, and she remembered what Ryo had told her last night:

"On the news they put out a bulletin to find you. They think that you did it."

She suddenly realized why everyone had been whispering as she'd been walking past. They thought she was going to kill them, and now the police were waiting for her to come out of her apartment.

She started to back away, when she noticed something swinging on the light pole by her apartment window, and gasped when she realized what it was.

Takahashi-san hanging by his own intestines, which were wrapped around his neck. She could only stare as the body swung back and forth. His fat face was drained of all color and his face was frozen in horror. She also noticed that one of his fingers was missing...just like her mom and Ryo's dad!

Ryo had turned on the TV and saw a report of another murder.

"Last night around midnight Takahashi Shiro was murdered last night. Many of the inhabitants of the building and a few bystanders saw Makino Ruki enter the building before the murder took place, and leave afterwards..."

"What? That can't be! Ruki-chan was here the whole night, she never left! I have to find her and tell her before it's too late!" He said and raced out of the house.

A nearby policeman looked back at the crowd that had formed around the building and saw Ruki standing there. He almost immediately recognized her from the pictures the whole force had been shown. He faced her and pointed his gun at her.

"Freeze! You're under arrest!" He said

Ruki looked his way for a moment and decided to run for it. She pushed her way through the crowd and the man ran after her.

She ran as hard as she could, but her strength giving out. She tripped over a slab uneven sidewalk and fell into someone, sending them both to the ground. She was trying to get back up quickly until she heard him speak.

"I was out to catch you...but not like that."

"Ryo!"

"Come back here!" The police officer that was chasing her called.

"Come on, we have to get you out of here." Ryo said.

He pulled her into a doorway, and the man passed them. When they knew he was far enough away, the two of them made their way to the park.

"How did you know to find me?" She asked as they walked through the park.

"I had the TV on and a report came on talking of a murder. It said people saw you go in and out of the building after the murder around midnight last night."

"But I was with you."

"I know. That's what tipped me off. I wonder who would want to murder people in your name. Any ideas?"

"No," she replied then sighed. "Now what am I going to do? If I go back to my apartment, the police will arrest me because they think I murdered my mom and Takahashi-san."

"Hey, like I said before, you can stay with Kai and me."

"No. If the police found me there, then both of you'd be arrested for helping me. I couldn't possibly let that happen."

"Ruki-chan, I don't care," Ryo said angrily, then calmed down. "You're my friend...but I wish we could be more than that."

He opened the door to the house, and went in. Ruki stopped in the doorway.

"What are you saying?" Ruki asked.

"Uh, nothing," Ryo blushed.

"Like I believe that." Ruki said pushing her way in the house.

"Well, what I meant to say was...um...how about we play a game to pass the time."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, pick something."

She thought for a moment.

"Do you still have your digimon cards? Because if you do, I know something we can play."

"Of course I do. They remind me of Cyberdramon. Why would I throw them out," He answered. "Oh. I get it you want to Card Battle me."

"Yep, but there's a slight twist to it. I call it 'Strip Card Battle.'"

"What?!"

"Why not? It'll be fun. Each round you lose, you lose an item of clothing. And let me tell you something; I ain't gonna lose." She smiled.

"Do we have to play that?"

"You're the one who told me to choose something. Now go get your cards."

Ryo groaned as he went off to get them.

When he came back he found Ruki with her cards set up and one of her socks off.

"To even the odds," she answered when she saw him staring at her oddly; "I wouldn't want to win just because I had one more thing on because I started with more."

Ryo had lost both of his socks and Ruki had lost her remaining sock.

"Shoot! Oh, well. Rules are rules." She said starting to take her shirt off.

His eyes got wide. It wasn't that he didn't like certain parts of females, as most guys did, but Ruki was his friend...

"That's it! I quit." He yelled blushing.

"Huh? Why?"

"I-I just don't think it's right. Put your shirt back on, please."

"What? I thought you said something about wanting to be more than friends..." She said innocently.

"You heard me say that?!..." He said blushing a deeper red. Ruki just smiled.

"I just want to know you better before I see...you know." Ryo continued.

"I know. I just wanted to scare you a little." She said pulling her shirt back down, and started laughing.

Later after things had calmed down, they were sitting there watching TV.

"Hey, Ryo, can I use your phone to call my grandma?"

"Go ahead. The cordless should be right in the kitchen."

"Thanks." She said and called the hospital room where her grandma was staying.

"Hello?" Answered Seiko, Ruki's grandma.

"It's me grandma." Ruki responded.

"Ruki, where are you?!"

"With a friend. Don't worry about me. Are you okay?"

"As well as can be expected with my daughter murdered, and my granddaughter suspected of doing it."

"I didn't do it grandma."

"If you say so."

"No, really. I didn't! Listen, I really have to get going."

"Okay Ruki. Be a good girl."

"I will. 'Bye"

"'Bye."

Ruki hung up and Seiko slowly hung up as well, as she looked over at the police officers in her room. A tear ran down her cheek.

"I'm sorry Ruki," she whispered to herself, "it's for your own good."

"Did we get a trace?" A female officer asked another officer.

"The call originated about a half-mile from the west side of the park in Kochi. In this region." He said drawing a circle on the map.

"Notify the police there, that we have a warrant for her arrest. Make sure to tell them to bring her into custody and we'll take care of her after that."

To be continued...