Chapter 17:

Sugar Coated Nightmares

The night was silent and black as coal. 'Now' Hwoarang thought as he jumped silently from the high tree and onto the bare sands just outside of the base. It had already been five days plus the one day Kazi had been captured would be six altogether. That meant he only had one day to get in, get Kazi, and get out. He slinked around the wall and started to climb where the spotlights didn't shine very often. He got to the top and jumped over, landing like a frog, both feet on the ground and both hands in front and between his legs. Hwoarang looked all ways and then ran for the other wall. Everything was going according to plan, or so he thought..... Hwoarang jumped up into a tree avoiding the officer general ChaoTseng, how Hwoarang hated that man. Hwoarang seemingly waited for them to pass but instead, the stood right there in front of that same tree. Hwoarang couldn't get out of the tree due to the wall right up against it and Chao would certainly see him if he got off now. Chao was looking at a rock when he suddenly threw it and smacked Hwoarang right in the forehead. Hwoarang fell out of the tree headfirst and landed on the hard ground. Chao sweat dropped and fake chucked,

"Heh... heh..."

"GODDAMN!" Hwoarang yelled, swiftly putting a hand over his mouth as if it would help him now.

"Hwoarang." Chao seized him by his ankle and his arm. Hwoarang looked at him in disbelief.

"Peachy." Hwoarang muttered. The officers grabbed him and took him to Chao's interrogation room.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been a week; Hwoarang soon joined Kazi nside the cell. Hwoarang's gang members had done exactly what he told them too, except for the fact that....... they asked Jin Kazama. Jin brought Denise along with him, telling her that he needed some one to have a quick escape ready when he busted them out, but, needless to say, Denise 'fucked it all up' like Hwoarang referred to it, and they, too, got captured. They all were in the same cell and Kazi sat listening to Hwoarang and Denise bicker and fight back and forth until she almost snapped.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" She screamed jumping to her feet. Hwoarang and Denise as well as Jin, who looked over at her from the darkened corner, all had surprised expressions on their faces. They could hear the irritation and frustration in her heavy breathing. "I need time to think." She tried lowering her voice with no avail. Kazi walked to the far corner and hid her face within the darkness, trying so hard to calm down. Hwoarang and Denise fell silent and the sun started to set across the broad horizon of the golden sands of the desert. Kazi tried desperately to think of a way out. She pulled on the bars, she tricked the guards, and tried to free herself through the small, window, which actually worked until she got caught, as so with her other 'plans'.

Kazi didn't know anymore. She became edgy and confined. She couldn't take it. Jin found her in the far corner shivering in the cold night air that rushed from outside the window. Her head was buried in her knees and her knees were pulled up to her chest. Jin suddenly remembered someone sitting like that, it was strange though, as if that had happened before, but he didn't know where. Jin shrugged it off. He bent down and brushed some of her half shoulder-length hair back and behind her ear. Kazi felt his hand brush her skin lightly and thought it was Hwoarang. She turned away from him, if it was even possible, not lifting her head.

"Kazi." he whispered softly. Kazi froze and her head slowly looked up, only showing her eyes. "Is something wrong?" He asked quietly. Kazi shook her head. Jin sighed. "Something is. What is it?" Kazi felt a small smile curve on her face, which soon faded. He was always looking right through her. Hwoarang used to be able to do that, but now that he had been so uptight and self-absorbed since she came back to him, she wasn't so sure anymore. She didn't have anyone to talk to. And then there was Jin......

Flash back………………..

"Hey." Kazi heard a familiar voice and turned her head around. Jin stood there looking at her. 'Oh, great, just what I need, my brother's rival.' Kazi thought sarcastically as she at on the edge of the dock watching the stars glow and shimmer in the darkness of the night.

"What, Kazama?" Kazi sounded a lot more tired and uneasy than as a warning of intrusion. Jin sat down next to her legs dangling over the dock. He pulled his hood down and looked at her. Kazi's eye widened al little, for she had never seen Jin with out his hood.

"It's Jin." he said as if he were annoyed at her for calling him as her brother did. "And, what's wrong?"

"Not like you care." Kazi's voice went from defensive to saddened and sorrowful, "No one does. Not any more." She shook her head.

"What do you mean." Jin asked trying to catch her amber gaze.

"Don't worry about it. It's not your problem. Just leave me alone." Kazi's voice was harsh, but Jin didn't move.

"Tell me." By accident Kazi met is gaze intending to give him a harsh glare that changed dramatically. Her face softened and turned away. There was something about his deep brown eyes that she couldn't look into them for more than a few mere seconds. Jin asked once more, "Tell me, please...." Kazi never heard a voice so soft in all the years she had been on this Hellhole they call Earth.

"Scared, I guess" Kazi finally gave in. Jin nodded and listened to everything she had to say.

End Flash Back………………………

'Jin is different. He understands....' Kazi heard herself thinking.

"Kazi.." Jin's soft voice broke through her thoughts. Kazi lifted her head a little more to find herself letting a single strange red colored tear fall from her amber eyes. Kazi mentally cursed herself for letting Jin see her this way. She didn't like anyone to see her this way at all. She always felt she had to be strong, tough, and careless. That night at the dock, Jin told her different, and she still remembered.... 'Everyone needs some one to lean on. Even the coldest of heart.' his voice played over in her mind when she looked into those brown eyes of a midnight sky. Jin came a little closer, sitting in front of her and brushing the tear away.

"Scared.." Kazi answered hoping he remembered too. Jin sighed,

"Kazi, there is nothing to be scared of." He reassured her, "And there won't ever be."

"Jin....?"

"Hmm?" He answered. Kazi buried her face in her knees once more.

"I'm -......I'm so sorry....." She almost broke down.

"Don't" he said quickly, "It isn't your fault." Kazi looked up at him, hoping that he wasn't lying to her. He laid a hand gently on her cheek, "It's not your fault." he said again, "But, what are you scared of?"

"Sleep." Kazi said. "I don't want to be torn any more...." Jin had a small, confused look, but, decided not to ask anymore.

"It's late, good night, Kazi. Sweet dreams." Jin removed his hand and turned to walk away, but he heard Kazi whisper, pessimistically,

"Dreams, are only sugar coated nightmares......" Jin silently walked away leaving her in her corner. Hwoarang and Denise were fast asleep and Jin slumped down a wall, 'Kaziya... I wish.... I wish....' Jin thought as he drifted of to sleep.