A.N. Me no own it ^^

Notes: LANGUAGE!!

Ryo gently laid Cloud down on her bed, tucking her in. He stayed a minute, watching the rise and fall of her chest, and listening to her steady breathing.

His eyes showed a deep concern as he looked at her.

Shadows under eyes were semi-visible, they were partially hidden by her long eyelashes.

"Ryo?' the black haired youth spun around to see Mia standing there. She smiled and gave him a knowing looks while handing him the bandages. "You want to do it, or should I?"

"I'll do it.."

"Good.. look, I'm going to call her mom and give her an update," Ryo gave her an alarmed look, but she put a hand on his arm.

"I'm not going to tell her anything she doesn't need to know,"

"alright.." Mia gave his arm a little squeeze, leaving him to be alone with Cloud once more.

He sat back down, and looked at her face, his features full of concern. Her breathing was deep, and her face relaxed, yet paler than he would have liked.

Gently, so as not to frighten or arouse her, he pulled the blankets back form her legs, and took one into his hands. It was limp, yet not heavy.

He examined the place in which she placed the wires, and frowned. It didn't look bad, but it was a little red form all the abuse given to it lately. He frowned and began to wrap it with a fresh roll of ace wrap, using gentle care and natural ease. He repeated the process for the other, and then replaced her legs, pulling the blankets back over them.

She didn't stir, and he sighed, taking her hand once more.

"please be o.k.."

*

The dream came once more that night, more frightening than the last time. It was the exact same, yet got the feeling across.

Again that terrified scream filled the Koji mansion, and 3 people piled into the room. Cye too tired form all the cooking, Rowen who could sleep through a storm, and Sage too tired from caring for Rowen were not present. Ryo knelt by her shaking form, and shook her gently.

"Cloud! wake up!"

Kento hurled himself onto the flailing youth's body, helping Ryo hold her down. She screamed louder, sounding as if her very soul was being torn away form her.

They winced, and Cloud thrashed her head about.

"Mia hurry up!" Kento yelled.

Mia grabbed Cloud's arm and forcefully injected another sedative. She then leaned back and whipped her sweat brow, staring at Cloud in amazement.

"That," pant, "was so," pant, "not cool!" more panting.

Kento backed off form Cloud.

"What in three hells could make someone scream like that?"

"I don't know.."

Ryo looked at Cloud, his eyes wide as he smoothed her hair.

"I wish you would tell us.." he whispered, tracing the outline of her face with his fingers.

"Can we go back to sleep now?" Kento whined, sitting on his haunches. Mia sighed.

"yeah, sure, go,"

"Thank you!,' The warrior of strength walked happily back to his room to get some well deserved rest.

"Ryo?"

"Hai?"

"Get some sleep, I think you guys should return to school tomorrow,"

"demo!"

"No buts, sleep," she stood up, and a second later, Ryo did too. "I'll make sure she doesn't hurt herself, k? You guys need to catch up on your school, and check with Rowen's teachers to make sure he doesn't have too much homework,"

"hai.."

"don't worry about it," Ryo sighed, and took one last look at Cloud before leaving to his own room.

*

Mia stood in the door and waved to the guys as they drove off, Ryo still looking back. She sighed. "You needed to catch up on your studies,"

"Mia. can I please have something to eat?" the suborn haired woman spun around and glared angrily at the groggy form of Rowen Hashiba as he tried to support his own self for the first time in days.

"Rowen Hashiba! Get back to bed now!"

"but-"

"NOW!" Rowen meeped and dragged himself back to his room with a pitiful sniff.

Mia sighed and shook her head, rubbing her temples, "Rowen.." she sighed defeated, walking to the kitchen and going to the cupboard.

She pulled out a can that read 'Chicken Noodle Soup' and opened it, poured it into a bowl, out some water in, and set it in the microwave to heat for three minutes.

She prayed the day would go fast as she leaned on the counter, her arms over her chest as she thought.

She planned to try and get some answers out of Cloud while Ryo wasn't here. For if he were he wouldn't let her get anywhere near probably. She laughed to herself thinking about that little scene.

The microwave beeped and she took out the soup, poured some of it into a bowl, and set it down to fetch a bed tray and a spoon.

Once she had the items set on it she started going to Rowen's room. She paused outside of Cloud's room to peak in. She hadn't woken up. Mia sighed and continued going to Rowen's room.

The blue haired youth was lying down, pouting and looking at the ceiling. "Room service," Mia chirped smiling as she set the food and tray in front of him.

"Arigato gozaimasu," Rowen said, digging in happily. Mia sighed and shook her head.

"You and food," she muttered, starting to walk out only to pause right at the door. "Lights out in 15 minutes Rowen Hashiba!" she ordered.

"Yes mother.." Rowen muttered between a mouthful of noodles. Mia shook her head and closed the door.

"I EXPECT YOU TO BE SLEEPING WHEN I GET BACK!" she yelled, walking away.

She reached her destination in less than a minute and she turned the knob, stepping into Cloud's room.

The first thing she did was change her bloodied bandages. There weren't too many, so it was fast work, under 5 minutes.

"Cloud.. Cloud can you try and wake up for me?" she got a slight groan, and soon a pair of bleary brown eyes opened a bit more than halfway.

"where.?' the question was only a little above a whisper.

"Your in your room," she got no answer for a while.

"Mia."

"hai?"

"I'm sorry,"

"Oh, don't you start with me! Get out of that nonsense! I swear, you an Ryo make a perfect couple," a small smile crossed Cloud's face.

"as do you and Sage.." Mia's face reddened and her breath became ragged for a minute.

"T-This isn't about me and S-sage! I wanted to ask you about those dreams.." Cloud's face became sad.

"Where should I start.." she asked barely over a whisper.. much softer than the first.

"at the beginning would be nice." Cloud took a deep breath.

"alright.."

*

Deep in the darkness of the shadows a cold figure watched and laughed, his dark blue hair revealed him as Kale.. He chuckled darkly. "Master, she speaks,"

"Good. do as planned," a voice came, seemingly form all around. It was eerie, and it made several other shadowy figures shudder. The warlord known as Kale bowed.

"Yes master."

*

"I r-remember. so clearly. and it hurts,"

"Take your time," A tear rolled down Cloud's cheek.

"He always threatened us. always hit mother. yet I didn't see it, I found that out much later."

"I always looks up to him, I thought he was the best man in the world. But I was wrong," her breath got shakier as she continued. She closed her eyes as more tears came down.

"I remember.. oh I remember that night."

"It was dark, that darkness had set itself upon us in a blanket. I was little, and the thunder rolled outside. it was so loud. so very loud."

~~~

A small blond haired girl held her blanket close, tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to the thunder. Her body trembled, and the lightening flashed.

But the thunder was not all that scared her that night, for loud screaming was coming form the other room. She knew what it was, and her fists clenched thinking about it.

Her father had been drinking again.

"STOP IT!"

~crash~

"You fuckin' whore!"

~slap!~

*BOOM*

The girl shivered once more, hugging a dog plush toy close to her. Tears came from her eyes, as she starred at the door. It's forbidding smoothness, its horrid thickness, and the horrible memories carved there.

~slap!~

"You good for nothing wench!"

*BOOM*

"s-stop it!"

The small girl could take no more and she wrenched open the door to see her mother slide down a wall, blood dripped form a wound on her head, and she whispered a single word.

"Run.." and then the darkness of unconsciousness enclosed around her.

The little girl screamed. "MOMMY!!" she ran to her fallen mother and struggled to get her sitting.

"MOMMY!! WAKE UP!!" she shook the older woman's shoulders but got no response. She turned angry eyes to what she couldn't bare to call father.

"Rat.." he seethed, kicking her away form her mother's prone form.

His breath reeked of beer and overall smelled like crap. He grinned showing off his crooked yellow teeth, stained form not brushing and cigarettes.

His eyes were wild, and he looked crazy. So crazy that he looked like he belonged in a nut house and/or came from a horror film.

The little girl shakily picked herself up. Her innocent eyes stared up at the man as one word left her lips.

"w-why?"

~slap!~

"d-dad!"

"Don't Raise your voice!" he knee kicked her in the stomach, and for the first time she tasted the coppery substance in her mouth. "I hate you! I hate you and your fuckin' whore of a mother!"

"I-it's not my fault!"

"YOU'RE A MISTAKE!!" another blow.

"I'm sorry.."

"what was that?" a painful blow to her head, but he picked her up again.

"I'm sorry!!" a blow once more.

"Never raise your voice to me!!" more smacks and kicks as she screamed.

"I'm sorry! I'M SORRY!!!!!"

Blow after blow descended on her, and finally the man threw her to the ground.

And as the edges of her vision blurred she saw the man she once call her father walk out into the rain, as the distant swirling of blue and red lights came in form the distance, accompanied by the wail of sirens, and the revving of a car engine.

~~~~

Cloud's hands clenched the blanket. She was now sitting up right, and Mia was hugging her. "I remember it so well. after all this time,"

"ssh.. I'm so sorry."

"Not as sorry as your going to be!" both girls looked up to see a dark figure in the doorway. Both let out a terrified scream that seemed to echo everywhere.

When it stopped echoing, both were gone without a trace, leaving behind a mound of blankets on the floor, and a lone wheel chair.

TBC!

A.N. Bwahahahaha!!

A.N.2 Please. please don't ask how I came up with this, k?