A/N: You know, you people are lucky…¬.¬ If you really wanted more, that is.
I was so caught up in my Final Fantasy X story, and my new Harvest Moon
story, I kind of…temporarily of course, abandoned this fic. But here it is
peoples! A brand new and spankinishisly great chapter ^-^;
Note: I know A LOT of people read and enjoyed my 'Ask Ann' fic. Like I think I mentioned in a previously uploaded chapter, it was taken down, due to the fact that 'questions and answers' fics are no longer allowed. Due to it, and A.A.A.O. - Ask an Annoying Owl's huge popularity, I will be bringing it back, on my website…
[^.~ I know I already mentioned the above, but out of, 'I'm the author and I can do what I want's sake', I did it again.]
It was late at night, and I was lying in my bed, thinking for all my brain was worth. Sometimes, I even thought about nothing, really. Just anything to keep my mind pre-occupied, so I wouldn't have to lay here bored, since I couldn't fall asleep. And sometimes, thinking helped anyway.
Sitting up groggily, I peered out into the darkness, squinting at my alarm clock's bright red numbers. 1: 06, I sighed.
Hearing a knock on my door, I stumbled out of bed, I hesitated before answering the door. After all, who would come knocking THIS late?
So I flung it open, and there was…? I couldn't know for sure at first, to tell you the truth. Then, the person finally came into focus. It was…Cliff?
"What are you doing here?!" I asked, clearly confused.
He was apparently out of breath; I guess he ran the whole way here. "I…Ann…Ugh," he finished, clutching his head in what appeared to be pain.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I shook him gently and briefly. The crisp night air still flowing in from the half open door had thankfully aroused my senses, and I could think straight. "Calm down, buddy, then try it again," I instructed him.
Taking a deep breath, and a paced step or two, he gazed deeply into my eyes. I could tell they were filled with worry and concern. "Earlier tonight, Ann asked me some questions. About…Being a wanderer. And, she had mentioned even prior to that, that one day…She was going to show her father…"
My eyes widened. "You think she's going to run away? Tonight?"
Cliff solemly nodded, "Yah-" he started, but got cut off by another figure hastily entering the door.
Sighing, I slapped my forehead. Walking fast towards the door, I shut it. I then rounded on my nightstand, and flicked on the light.
We all closed our eyes and blinked a few times til we regained our vision. Blinking one last time, I looked up, at the other figure, who was now fully viewable.
It was Karen. She now had her back to me, and was quivering and shaking violently. Cliff looked at me, frightened. I knew what he was thinking…What would get Karen, of all people, so upset to be literally sobbing?
I walked closer to her, and slowly laid a leaden hand delicately on her shoulder, as if I was afraid she might break. She winced, and shuddered at my touch, leaving me confused.
Whirling around, she threw herself into my arms, still sobbing hysterically. Oh something was wrong, all right. Definitely wrong.
As I gently guided her to the bed, and sat 'us' down, Cliff hurried over, equally concerned as me. "Karen," I said soothingly, running my hands through her mocha hair. "Please tell me! What's wrong?"
She choked back another sob, and slowly raised her face up to mine. I felt like cringing at the manner in which she did it. It was like a abused dog, gazing up into the eyes of another…beating…
I saw it almost immediately. How could I not have? On her left cheek was a big, swollen bruise. I closed my eyes; her pain seemed to course through my own being. "K..K…" she started, stammering.
My eyes narrowed. "Who did this to you?" I demanded as gently as I could, though I had a rotten awful feeling in my stomach that I already knew.
"K…Ka…Kai!" she finally managed, before bursting into sobs again. But, she continued on talking. "He came home, obviously drunk. And when he found I was with you…He went into a drunken rage, and stayed in my room till I came home…And then…And then…"
I didn't want to know the rest of it, Looking down, I leaned forwards, and softly kissed Karen's forehead. I placed Karen into Cliff's arms, and silently stood up. Oh, yes, I was going to make Kai pay…
He was the straw that broke the camel's back…
Note: I know A LOT of people read and enjoyed my 'Ask Ann' fic. Like I think I mentioned in a previously uploaded chapter, it was taken down, due to the fact that 'questions and answers' fics are no longer allowed. Due to it, and A.A.A.O. - Ask an Annoying Owl's huge popularity, I will be bringing it back, on my website…
[^.~ I know I already mentioned the above, but out of, 'I'm the author and I can do what I want's sake', I did it again.]
It was late at night, and I was lying in my bed, thinking for all my brain was worth. Sometimes, I even thought about nothing, really. Just anything to keep my mind pre-occupied, so I wouldn't have to lay here bored, since I couldn't fall asleep. And sometimes, thinking helped anyway.
Sitting up groggily, I peered out into the darkness, squinting at my alarm clock's bright red numbers. 1: 06, I sighed.
Hearing a knock on my door, I stumbled out of bed, I hesitated before answering the door. After all, who would come knocking THIS late?
So I flung it open, and there was…? I couldn't know for sure at first, to tell you the truth. Then, the person finally came into focus. It was…Cliff?
"What are you doing here?!" I asked, clearly confused.
He was apparently out of breath; I guess he ran the whole way here. "I…Ann…Ugh," he finished, clutching his head in what appeared to be pain.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I shook him gently and briefly. The crisp night air still flowing in from the half open door had thankfully aroused my senses, and I could think straight. "Calm down, buddy, then try it again," I instructed him.
Taking a deep breath, and a paced step or two, he gazed deeply into my eyes. I could tell they were filled with worry and concern. "Earlier tonight, Ann asked me some questions. About…Being a wanderer. And, she had mentioned even prior to that, that one day…She was going to show her father…"
My eyes widened. "You think she's going to run away? Tonight?"
Cliff solemly nodded, "Yah-" he started, but got cut off by another figure hastily entering the door.
Sighing, I slapped my forehead. Walking fast towards the door, I shut it. I then rounded on my nightstand, and flicked on the light.
We all closed our eyes and blinked a few times til we regained our vision. Blinking one last time, I looked up, at the other figure, who was now fully viewable.
It was Karen. She now had her back to me, and was quivering and shaking violently. Cliff looked at me, frightened. I knew what he was thinking…What would get Karen, of all people, so upset to be literally sobbing?
I walked closer to her, and slowly laid a leaden hand delicately on her shoulder, as if I was afraid she might break. She winced, and shuddered at my touch, leaving me confused.
Whirling around, she threw herself into my arms, still sobbing hysterically. Oh something was wrong, all right. Definitely wrong.
As I gently guided her to the bed, and sat 'us' down, Cliff hurried over, equally concerned as me. "Karen," I said soothingly, running my hands through her mocha hair. "Please tell me! What's wrong?"
She choked back another sob, and slowly raised her face up to mine. I felt like cringing at the manner in which she did it. It was like a abused dog, gazing up into the eyes of another…beating…
I saw it almost immediately. How could I not have? On her left cheek was a big, swollen bruise. I closed my eyes; her pain seemed to course through my own being. "K..K…" she started, stammering.
My eyes narrowed. "Who did this to you?" I demanded as gently as I could, though I had a rotten awful feeling in my stomach that I already knew.
"K…Ka…Kai!" she finally managed, before bursting into sobs again. But, she continued on talking. "He came home, obviously drunk. And when he found I was with you…He went into a drunken rage, and stayed in my room till I came home…And then…And then…"
I didn't want to know the rest of it, Looking down, I leaned forwards, and softly kissed Karen's forehead. I placed Karen into Cliff's arms, and silently stood up. Oh, yes, I was going to make Kai pay…
He was the straw that broke the camel's back…