Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm merely using them to
entertain you. And in the tone of a public broadcasting service announcer,
this story has been brought to you by Exploding Charlie Sheen Productions.
"I'm not doing this again!"
The sun was streaming through the thin white curtains, illuminating the room in colors of pale pink, light blue, and soft yellow. A gentle breeze lifted the curtains and rubbed them against each other in a quiet caress, bringing with it the scent of sweet peas from below the window.
But he didn't care about that. As wonderful as the air smelled and the sun felt washing over his head, all he wanted to do was roll over and go back to bed. After all, that dream was quite a pleasant one, and he'd rather experience it again than spend time brooding about it over breakfast. Of course, someone else had other plans…
"OOF!" The breath left him in such a rush he wondered if he would pass out.
"Morning, Johnny!" the little girl giggled as she bounced on his stomach. "Come on, get up! It's ten o'clock already!"
"And I had my alarm set for noon, so it's too early. Now bugger off!" a deep voice replied, slightly muffled from the covers he kept over his head.
"Aw, come on, now! You promised to take me to the carnival!" she whined, and began pulling at the sheets. There was tug that kept the sheets back, so she pulled harder. "Johnny…" she growled.
"Rargh!" He flew up into a sitting position with a roar and pushed the screaming girl back onto the bottom of the bed and tickled her.
"No, don't!" the child laughed and retaliated with flying feet. One well-placed kick caught the muscular man in the chin and he fell back onto the pillows, momentarily stunned.
"Ow." Then he slid off the side of the bed into an ungraceful heap on the floor.
Kaoru laughed at the theatrics of her companion and guardian, and she fell onto the floor next to him as she placed a kiss on his forehead. "You're silly," she smiled and pulled at a stray strand of hair.
"I know."
"Kaoru, angel, is he up yet?"
"Yes," she called downstairs. "Sort of…"
"Well, tell him to hurry up and get down here. Breakfast will be ready in twenty."
"Ok!" Kaoru poked his shoulder. "You heard the nice lady. Get up."
"Aw, but Mom, I'm comfy here!" Johnny whined. Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into a ball before resting his head on her stomach. "Especially now that I have this really big pillow."
"Hey! Get off me!" Kaoru giggled as she tried to get away, and the two wrestled for a few minutes. When Johnny finally surrendered, the ten-year- old girl left the room as Johnny headed for the shower. He walked out fifteen minutes later to the scent of fresh pancakes and waffles. He dressed quickly and headed down into the kitchen, where he was met with a steaming plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
"Oh, I want that."
Soft laughter filled his ears and he kissed the slender woman's cheek as he sat at the table and began to dig in.
"Chew your food, darling."
"I am!" Johnny mumbled around a mouthful of food.
"When I woke up this morning, I thought I was only tending to one child."
"I'm a little boy at heart."
"Who I'm still waiting to see grow up."
"Oh, I don't care what you say. You love me and you know it, Aunt Susan."
She laughed again as she set to cleaning up the pans. A kind-hearted lady at the young age of 65, Susan was the perfect mother, and had acted as such since Johnny's parents died when he was sixteen. After all, she was the only living relative of his, and therefore the only one to take him.
"Well, you do give me such wonderful things at Christmas," she allowed. She put the pan into the dishwasher, wiped her hands on her towel, and walked over to her nephew. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she gave him a tight hug. "And I'm so glad you finally came back to visit me."
"You know I can't stay away from your cooking."
She pulled away and sat in a nearby chair. A heavy sigh left her and she stared at the young actor. "I didn't think you'd come back to San Francisco though."
Johnny paused in his eating and looked at the pleasant woman. "Susan…"
"I know, I know it's been a couple of years since… everything, but…" Another sigh. "You've changed so much, John, and I just got worried."
A wide smile spread across his face as he reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. "Don't worry 'bout me, Love. I'm fine. The kid keeps me in line." He began looking around the room. "Speaking of the little rascal, where'd she disappear off to?"
"She's upstairs in her room, waiting for you to whisk her off to this carnival she's been raving about," Susan replied with a dismissive hand gesture.
"Then I shouldn't keep her waiting." Johnny finished his food, placed his plate in the sink, and called to the Japanese child.
"When can I expect you back?" Susan asked from behind him.
"I don't know. It depends on how long it takes to wear her out." Johnny smiled as he picked up his keys. "But I'll call and let you know if we stay later than four."
"Ok. Have a good time."
The festivities were a thrill, and Johnny was kept amused by fans while Kaoru stuck to playing games and going on rides. After his last film, the award winning mega hit movie Mortal Kombat, Johnny Cage was not labeled a fake anymore (except by the few diehard critics that wanted to make his life miserable) and he had become one of the most popular and among the best looking actors on the planet, not to forget being the most eligible bachelor around. So it wasn't a surprise that the fans found him, even under an attempted disguise of a backwards hat and new sunglasses, his old ones being too obviously him. And Kaoru didn't mind the publicity, either. While at first many viewers found it odd that a single rich male actor would up and adopt a child so suddenly, and the same people who called him fake started calling him gay, they soon forgot about the child and focused only on the life of their favorite actor. So when Johnny was signing autographs, Kaoru would go off to short distances and enjoy a bit of freedom as she walked the shops, checked out the games, and made a list in her mind of what rides she wanted to go on next.
Unfortunately, a sudden storm blew in, and the sky cracked with thunder as rain drizzled down, soaking the masses instantly. The rides shut down and the booths closed up as the crowd dispersed. As they were walking back to the car, Kaoru mentioned being hungry, so they stopped in a restaurant to get a snack.
It only took a moment for the action hero to be recognized, and the manager was more than ready to serve the two anything they desired, free of charge. Kaoru smiled and thanked him politely while Johnny rolled his eyes. He loved the public, especially when they adored him, but sometimes their gushing affection was nauseating.
The few other occupants in the restaurant came over to ask questions, and while at first he wanted to be left alone, Johnny had to admit that the topics of conversation were enjoyable, and even Kaoru seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Cage?"
Johnny turned to the waiter, who had served some drinks and sat down to join the chat. "I'm sorry?"
"Ghosts. Apparitions. Lost souls and the like."
An image of the tournament came into his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. "Ghosts, huh? No, I'd have to say I don't." Gods, yes, ghosts, not really.
"So you think there's a real culprit behind the murders at the docks?"
Now Johnny was startled. "What murders?"
Everyone stared at him for a moment. "It's been all over the news," one diner supplied. "People being beheaded or shot or stabbed at the Wendel and Martin Docking Arena. They're been taking place for about a month now."
Johnny noticed the shiver that went through Kaoru at the mention of the dock, and it reflected his own.
"That dock is a curse, if you ask me," an older gentleman cut in. "They should tear it down and put in some kind of office building, or something."
"No one would work there, everyone knows that place is haunted."
"There's no such thing as ghosts, Alicia."
"Tell that to the people who've died, Mark."
The young couple began bickering, with other diners adding their two cents.
"Kaoru…" Johnny motioned to leave, wanting to get them out of there before Kaoru heard anymore.
"Who is haunting the docks?" the little girl suddenly asked, ignoring Johnny's un-thrilled look.
"The people from the quadruple murder from three years ago. Two girls keep showing up and terrorizing the place. I heard they were enemies who killed each other, but apparently their mutual hatred has kept them stalking each other even in the afterlife."
"If you go after dark, people say it'll start raining, even on a cloudless night, and then the two women will appear, attack each other, then disappear as if nothing had happened."
Kaoru stared in shock. "What do they look like?" she asked curiously, and, Johnny thought, hopefully.
"Kaoru." He tried to make his voice stern, but he was feeling dizzy from the conversation, trying not to remember the night she died.
Again she ignored him and focused intently on the older man who sat next to her.
"No one's really sure, because usually there's this creeping fog that rolls in. But a friend of mine said he saw the Army lieutenant who was shot, and a dark being that walked around with no head."
Everyone in the room jumped as Johnny's cell went off.
"Hello," he answered with relief. "Yeah, we were just staying out of the rain. Yep. Ok." He hung up and stood, throwing some money on the table as he took Kaoru's hand. "Time to go."
Kaoru nodded quietly. They bade their goodbyes and walked out.
It was a quiet walk to the car. The rain was still falling lightly onto the pavement with soft slaps, and it provided the only continuous noise until Kaoru suddenly spoke up.
"Do you think-"
"No."
"But people-"
"No."
"Could we maybe-"
"No."
Kaoru huffed and kicked at a stone in the street. "I thought men weren't scared of anything."
Johnny stopped and looked down at her. "I'm not scared," he said firmly.
"Then why-"
"Stories, Kaoru. It's all just stories the locals tell tourists to give them a spook. Drop it already."
"I want to see."
Johnny threw his arms in the air and began walking away. "Oh, don't start this."
"What if it's true, Johnny? What if they really are haunting the place? What if they're the ones doing the murders?"
"Sonya wouldn't kill innocent people!"
"Which means it has to be Nise and Sonya's just trying to stop her!"
Johnny started for a minute, finding it weird hearing her name without the san at the end, like how Kaoru used to say it. He looked again at the girl who was practically pleading to him, stopped, and kneeled beside her. "Kaoru, they are dead. They're gone, ok? No one's haunting the dock, it's all just stories."
"I want to know for sure," she retorted defiantly.
"And I don't want you getting hurt."
"Walking away without knowing hurts the most."
Johnny shook his head. "I'm not taking you."
"Fine. I'll go on my own. I can take care of myself," she huffed as she crossed her arms.
The stubborn determination in her voice caught his attention. God, she sounds just like her.
"I won't take the chance with people being attacked at the docks. Besides, you'll only go down there with hopes high, and when you find out it's all a joke, you'll come back completely heartbroken." He stood up. "My decision is final. You're not going, and it's best for you if you just forget about it." He began walking back to the car.
"Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage!"
Heart in throat, Johnny froze on the sidewalk.
Sonya's glare was more prominent in the setting sun. Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage…
He turned to face the upset child. "What did you say?"
"Sonya meant a lot to me. She still does today. Without her, I may not be alive right now, and I think I owe it to her to know if she needs help, even if it's just to help her move on. This is very important to me, more so than your action hero heroics, and I'm going to see if she really is trapped in some weird nightmare thing that she can't get out of! And I'll do it with or without your help!" With that, the girl suddenly stalked past him in a tuff of anger.
Johnny stood dazed. As if that weird déjà vu occurrence wasn't enough, now Kaoru was yelling at him, something she had never done before… well, except when they first met… and it left him freaked out. For a moment, he actually felt like Sonya was talking, no, yelling at him through the ten- year-old girl.
He knew the first thing he was going to do when they got back to the house was to get a stiff drink.
Once they arrived home, Kaoru had stormed right up to her room and locked herself inside. Johnny tried to talk to her in the car, but she was refusing adamantly to talk. She refused to come down at dinner, and wouldn't even talk with Susan, who was baffled by the whole situation. After Johnny explained to the older woman what happened, she was able to understand Kaoru's strong, hopeful feelings, but it was still a shock to see the polite and peaceful little girl in such a fit of anger.
For the rest of the night, Johnny kept to himself. He ate dinner, helped with the dishes, then went up to his room and sat out on the balcony to stare at the stars. They glittered like tiny gems in suspended animation that sparked up memories of wanting to fly with Peter Pan, a secret childhood wish he didn't dare share with anyone.
With those memories came ones from when he was a teenager, then a new star flaring on the silver screen, and to when he finally became an adult. Snipets of pictures played across his mind like a movie, and he smiled as some warmed him, became melancholy as others left his heart in mourning.
…Got news of a role, a lead role, that requires a good fighter…
…I don't believe it, my first star role…
…A lie it would be if I said you weren't attractive, Mr. Cage…
…Would you like to join me for dinner sometime…
…I can't imagine life without you…
…With this ring, I thee wed…
…I can't deal with this anymore…
…They think I'm a fake…
…You've been chosen to defend the realm of earth…
…It's not her mind you're admiring…
…The most egotistical, self-deluded person I have ever met…
…Come to LA for a vacation…
…Stay with me tonight…
…I do trust you…
…An eye for an eye…
…Don't leave me like this…
…I'll never leave you…
"Johnny?"
He nearly dropped his glass at the voice that intruded his quite contemplation. Susan stood in the doorway of his room, dressed in a nightgown and slippers, and watching him carefully.
"Yes, Susan?"
"I came to say goodnight."
He looked down at his watch. "Christ, it's 11:30."
Susan rolled her eyes at him. "Very good, I'm glad to see you're not so drunk you can't read your watch."
"I'm not drunk," Johnny grumbled as he stood and went in the room. "But I am tired, so I think I'll turn in also."
Susan nodded. "Good. Tomorrow morning, things will be back to normal."
"I hope."
"I know," she stated firmly, and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Sleep well. See you in the morning."
"Night."
After Susan left, Johnny considered talking, or attempting to talk, with Kaoru, but figured it best to let them both sleep it off.
Unfortunately, he couldn't sleep at all. His mind was too chaotic with the events of the day, and a strange feeling of abandonment that kept swelling up inside him. What if Sonya was really at the dock, trapped in some loophole that made her relive the night she was killed by his ex- girlfriend? Maybe I should check…
It's impossible. She's dead, gone, not coming back. Get over it, his logic replied.
Twenty minutes later, his logic was still trying to convince himself to turn the car around and go back to bed. When he arrived at the docks, logical Johnny was practically screaming to face reality, let her go, and go home.
If only Johnny could let her go, perhaps he would have listened.
The sea breeze ruffled his hair and lifted the sides of his jacket as he approached the black sea. Though he couldn't see the water, he could hear the slap of the waves against the moors. In a way, it was rather tranquil, if you didn't mind the pressing silence of no people.
Then the memories hit like a power surge of pain. Flashing in and out, he felt Balford's blows, he saw Sonya smile at him, he watched Balford die, Nise was laughing, Kaoru was leaning on his shoulder, Sonya was bleeding, falling, dying…
Against the railing he put his arms and scrutinized the area about him to help block out the rush. All wood, ahead a dark ocean, and a few tall lights the cast the dock in a pale yellow glow. Nothing about the setting seemed at all frightening. It was more… dull, to be honest. Dull, boring, and lonely.
Sonya. Would she show up? Or was he just giving himself another reason to try and contest the fact that she was dead.
"Come out, come out, where ever you are," he whispered. And waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Nothing happened.
He lost track of how long he was out there, listening to the wind and waves, but he could see the sky becoming lighter in the distance. A heavy sigh escaped him. Remotely upset, Johnny did commend himself on not bringing Kaoru out here. He was right; the pain was just too much when hopes were that high. Keys jingling in hand, he said a silent prayer for her, and turned to leave.
But something in the air made him stop. It was a peculiar scent, an odd tang to the misty fish and salt smell associated with the sea. Citrus. It was citrus, and it was familiar to him. As the aroma became stronger, he was hit with the realization that it smelled exactly like the shampoo Sonya used to use.
"Sonya?" And foolishly, he waited for a reply. After a moment of echoed silence, his head dropped as he chuckled without humor. A hand rubbed his face and swept through his hair. "Goddamn wishful thinking," he muttered. Again, he sighed and turned toward the parking lot.
She stared at him without expression, her eyes as mute as her voice, hands still and stiff at her sides, her face so close to his they could have kissed if one moved closer. In shock and surprise, Johnny gasped and blinked and found nothing in front of him.
He suddenly never felt so exhilarated, or so alone.
The sun was streaming through the thin white curtains, illuminating the room in colors of pale pink, light blue, and soft yellow. A gentle breeze lifted the curtains and rubbed them against each other in a quiet caress, bringing with it the scent of sweet peas from below the window.
But he didn't care about that. As wonderful as the air smelled and the sun felt washing over his head, all he wanted to do was roll over and go back to bed. After all, that dream was quite a pleasant one, and he'd rather experience it again than spend time brooding about it over breakfast. Of course, someone else had other plans…
"OOF!" The breath left him in such a rush he wondered if he would pass out.
"Morning, Johnny!" the little girl giggled as she bounced on his stomach. "Come on, get up! It's ten o'clock already!"
"And I had my alarm set for noon, so it's too early. Now bugger off!" a deep voice replied, slightly muffled from the covers he kept over his head.
"Aw, come on, now! You promised to take me to the carnival!" she whined, and began pulling at the sheets. There was tug that kept the sheets back, so she pulled harder. "Johnny…" she growled.
"Rargh!" He flew up into a sitting position with a roar and pushed the screaming girl back onto the bottom of the bed and tickled her.
"No, don't!" the child laughed and retaliated with flying feet. One well-placed kick caught the muscular man in the chin and he fell back onto the pillows, momentarily stunned.
"Ow." Then he slid off the side of the bed into an ungraceful heap on the floor.
Kaoru laughed at the theatrics of her companion and guardian, and she fell onto the floor next to him as she placed a kiss on his forehead. "You're silly," she smiled and pulled at a stray strand of hair.
"I know."
"Kaoru, angel, is he up yet?"
"Yes," she called downstairs. "Sort of…"
"Well, tell him to hurry up and get down here. Breakfast will be ready in twenty."
"Ok!" Kaoru poked his shoulder. "You heard the nice lady. Get up."
"Aw, but Mom, I'm comfy here!" Johnny whined. Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into a ball before resting his head on her stomach. "Especially now that I have this really big pillow."
"Hey! Get off me!" Kaoru giggled as she tried to get away, and the two wrestled for a few minutes. When Johnny finally surrendered, the ten-year- old girl left the room as Johnny headed for the shower. He walked out fifteen minutes later to the scent of fresh pancakes and waffles. He dressed quickly and headed down into the kitchen, where he was met with a steaming plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
"Oh, I want that."
Soft laughter filled his ears and he kissed the slender woman's cheek as he sat at the table and began to dig in.
"Chew your food, darling."
"I am!" Johnny mumbled around a mouthful of food.
"When I woke up this morning, I thought I was only tending to one child."
"I'm a little boy at heart."
"Who I'm still waiting to see grow up."
"Oh, I don't care what you say. You love me and you know it, Aunt Susan."
She laughed again as she set to cleaning up the pans. A kind-hearted lady at the young age of 65, Susan was the perfect mother, and had acted as such since Johnny's parents died when he was sixteen. After all, she was the only living relative of his, and therefore the only one to take him.
"Well, you do give me such wonderful things at Christmas," she allowed. She put the pan into the dishwasher, wiped her hands on her towel, and walked over to her nephew. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she gave him a tight hug. "And I'm so glad you finally came back to visit me."
"You know I can't stay away from your cooking."
She pulled away and sat in a nearby chair. A heavy sigh left her and she stared at the young actor. "I didn't think you'd come back to San Francisco though."
Johnny paused in his eating and looked at the pleasant woman. "Susan…"
"I know, I know it's been a couple of years since… everything, but…" Another sigh. "You've changed so much, John, and I just got worried."
A wide smile spread across his face as he reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. "Don't worry 'bout me, Love. I'm fine. The kid keeps me in line." He began looking around the room. "Speaking of the little rascal, where'd she disappear off to?"
"She's upstairs in her room, waiting for you to whisk her off to this carnival she's been raving about," Susan replied with a dismissive hand gesture.
"Then I shouldn't keep her waiting." Johnny finished his food, placed his plate in the sink, and called to the Japanese child.
"When can I expect you back?" Susan asked from behind him.
"I don't know. It depends on how long it takes to wear her out." Johnny smiled as he picked up his keys. "But I'll call and let you know if we stay later than four."
"Ok. Have a good time."
The festivities were a thrill, and Johnny was kept amused by fans while Kaoru stuck to playing games and going on rides. After his last film, the award winning mega hit movie Mortal Kombat, Johnny Cage was not labeled a fake anymore (except by the few diehard critics that wanted to make his life miserable) and he had become one of the most popular and among the best looking actors on the planet, not to forget being the most eligible bachelor around. So it wasn't a surprise that the fans found him, even under an attempted disguise of a backwards hat and new sunglasses, his old ones being too obviously him. And Kaoru didn't mind the publicity, either. While at first many viewers found it odd that a single rich male actor would up and adopt a child so suddenly, and the same people who called him fake started calling him gay, they soon forgot about the child and focused only on the life of their favorite actor. So when Johnny was signing autographs, Kaoru would go off to short distances and enjoy a bit of freedom as she walked the shops, checked out the games, and made a list in her mind of what rides she wanted to go on next.
Unfortunately, a sudden storm blew in, and the sky cracked with thunder as rain drizzled down, soaking the masses instantly. The rides shut down and the booths closed up as the crowd dispersed. As they were walking back to the car, Kaoru mentioned being hungry, so they stopped in a restaurant to get a snack.
It only took a moment for the action hero to be recognized, and the manager was more than ready to serve the two anything they desired, free of charge. Kaoru smiled and thanked him politely while Johnny rolled his eyes. He loved the public, especially when they adored him, but sometimes their gushing affection was nauseating.
The few other occupants in the restaurant came over to ask questions, and while at first he wanted to be left alone, Johnny had to admit that the topics of conversation were enjoyable, and even Kaoru seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Cage?"
Johnny turned to the waiter, who had served some drinks and sat down to join the chat. "I'm sorry?"
"Ghosts. Apparitions. Lost souls and the like."
An image of the tournament came into his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. "Ghosts, huh? No, I'd have to say I don't." Gods, yes, ghosts, not really.
"So you think there's a real culprit behind the murders at the docks?"
Now Johnny was startled. "What murders?"
Everyone stared at him for a moment. "It's been all over the news," one diner supplied. "People being beheaded or shot or stabbed at the Wendel and Martin Docking Arena. They're been taking place for about a month now."
Johnny noticed the shiver that went through Kaoru at the mention of the dock, and it reflected his own.
"That dock is a curse, if you ask me," an older gentleman cut in. "They should tear it down and put in some kind of office building, or something."
"No one would work there, everyone knows that place is haunted."
"There's no such thing as ghosts, Alicia."
"Tell that to the people who've died, Mark."
The young couple began bickering, with other diners adding their two cents.
"Kaoru…" Johnny motioned to leave, wanting to get them out of there before Kaoru heard anymore.
"Who is haunting the docks?" the little girl suddenly asked, ignoring Johnny's un-thrilled look.
"The people from the quadruple murder from three years ago. Two girls keep showing up and terrorizing the place. I heard they were enemies who killed each other, but apparently their mutual hatred has kept them stalking each other even in the afterlife."
"If you go after dark, people say it'll start raining, even on a cloudless night, and then the two women will appear, attack each other, then disappear as if nothing had happened."
Kaoru stared in shock. "What do they look like?" she asked curiously, and, Johnny thought, hopefully.
"Kaoru." He tried to make his voice stern, but he was feeling dizzy from the conversation, trying not to remember the night she died.
Again she ignored him and focused intently on the older man who sat next to her.
"No one's really sure, because usually there's this creeping fog that rolls in. But a friend of mine said he saw the Army lieutenant who was shot, and a dark being that walked around with no head."
Everyone in the room jumped as Johnny's cell went off.
"Hello," he answered with relief. "Yeah, we were just staying out of the rain. Yep. Ok." He hung up and stood, throwing some money on the table as he took Kaoru's hand. "Time to go."
Kaoru nodded quietly. They bade their goodbyes and walked out.
It was a quiet walk to the car. The rain was still falling lightly onto the pavement with soft slaps, and it provided the only continuous noise until Kaoru suddenly spoke up.
"Do you think-"
"No."
"But people-"
"No."
"Could we maybe-"
"No."
Kaoru huffed and kicked at a stone in the street. "I thought men weren't scared of anything."
Johnny stopped and looked down at her. "I'm not scared," he said firmly.
"Then why-"
"Stories, Kaoru. It's all just stories the locals tell tourists to give them a spook. Drop it already."
"I want to see."
Johnny threw his arms in the air and began walking away. "Oh, don't start this."
"What if it's true, Johnny? What if they really are haunting the place? What if they're the ones doing the murders?"
"Sonya wouldn't kill innocent people!"
"Which means it has to be Nise and Sonya's just trying to stop her!"
Johnny started for a minute, finding it weird hearing her name without the san at the end, like how Kaoru used to say it. He looked again at the girl who was practically pleading to him, stopped, and kneeled beside her. "Kaoru, they are dead. They're gone, ok? No one's haunting the dock, it's all just stories."
"I want to know for sure," she retorted defiantly.
"And I don't want you getting hurt."
"Walking away without knowing hurts the most."
Johnny shook his head. "I'm not taking you."
"Fine. I'll go on my own. I can take care of myself," she huffed as she crossed her arms.
The stubborn determination in her voice caught his attention. God, she sounds just like her.
"I won't take the chance with people being attacked at the docks. Besides, you'll only go down there with hopes high, and when you find out it's all a joke, you'll come back completely heartbroken." He stood up. "My decision is final. You're not going, and it's best for you if you just forget about it." He began walking back to the car.
"Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage!"
Heart in throat, Johnny froze on the sidewalk.
Sonya's glare was more prominent in the setting sun. Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage…
He turned to face the upset child. "What did you say?"
"Sonya meant a lot to me. She still does today. Without her, I may not be alive right now, and I think I owe it to her to know if she needs help, even if it's just to help her move on. This is very important to me, more so than your action hero heroics, and I'm going to see if she really is trapped in some weird nightmare thing that she can't get out of! And I'll do it with or without your help!" With that, the girl suddenly stalked past him in a tuff of anger.
Johnny stood dazed. As if that weird déjà vu occurrence wasn't enough, now Kaoru was yelling at him, something she had never done before… well, except when they first met… and it left him freaked out. For a moment, he actually felt like Sonya was talking, no, yelling at him through the ten- year-old girl.
He knew the first thing he was going to do when they got back to the house was to get a stiff drink.
Once they arrived home, Kaoru had stormed right up to her room and locked herself inside. Johnny tried to talk to her in the car, but she was refusing adamantly to talk. She refused to come down at dinner, and wouldn't even talk with Susan, who was baffled by the whole situation. After Johnny explained to the older woman what happened, she was able to understand Kaoru's strong, hopeful feelings, but it was still a shock to see the polite and peaceful little girl in such a fit of anger.
For the rest of the night, Johnny kept to himself. He ate dinner, helped with the dishes, then went up to his room and sat out on the balcony to stare at the stars. They glittered like tiny gems in suspended animation that sparked up memories of wanting to fly with Peter Pan, a secret childhood wish he didn't dare share with anyone.
With those memories came ones from when he was a teenager, then a new star flaring on the silver screen, and to when he finally became an adult. Snipets of pictures played across his mind like a movie, and he smiled as some warmed him, became melancholy as others left his heart in mourning.
…Got news of a role, a lead role, that requires a good fighter…
…I don't believe it, my first star role…
…A lie it would be if I said you weren't attractive, Mr. Cage…
…Would you like to join me for dinner sometime…
…I can't imagine life without you…
…With this ring, I thee wed…
…I can't deal with this anymore…
…They think I'm a fake…
…You've been chosen to defend the realm of earth…
…It's not her mind you're admiring…
…The most egotistical, self-deluded person I have ever met…
…Come to LA for a vacation…
…Stay with me tonight…
…I do trust you…
…An eye for an eye…
…Don't leave me like this…
…I'll never leave you…
"Johnny?"
He nearly dropped his glass at the voice that intruded his quite contemplation. Susan stood in the doorway of his room, dressed in a nightgown and slippers, and watching him carefully.
"Yes, Susan?"
"I came to say goodnight."
He looked down at his watch. "Christ, it's 11:30."
Susan rolled her eyes at him. "Very good, I'm glad to see you're not so drunk you can't read your watch."
"I'm not drunk," Johnny grumbled as he stood and went in the room. "But I am tired, so I think I'll turn in also."
Susan nodded. "Good. Tomorrow morning, things will be back to normal."
"I hope."
"I know," she stated firmly, and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Sleep well. See you in the morning."
"Night."
After Susan left, Johnny considered talking, or attempting to talk, with Kaoru, but figured it best to let them both sleep it off.
Unfortunately, he couldn't sleep at all. His mind was too chaotic with the events of the day, and a strange feeling of abandonment that kept swelling up inside him. What if Sonya was really at the dock, trapped in some loophole that made her relive the night she was killed by his ex- girlfriend? Maybe I should check…
It's impossible. She's dead, gone, not coming back. Get over it, his logic replied.
Twenty minutes later, his logic was still trying to convince himself to turn the car around and go back to bed. When he arrived at the docks, logical Johnny was practically screaming to face reality, let her go, and go home.
If only Johnny could let her go, perhaps he would have listened.
The sea breeze ruffled his hair and lifted the sides of his jacket as he approached the black sea. Though he couldn't see the water, he could hear the slap of the waves against the moors. In a way, it was rather tranquil, if you didn't mind the pressing silence of no people.
Then the memories hit like a power surge of pain. Flashing in and out, he felt Balford's blows, he saw Sonya smile at him, he watched Balford die, Nise was laughing, Kaoru was leaning on his shoulder, Sonya was bleeding, falling, dying…
Against the railing he put his arms and scrutinized the area about him to help block out the rush. All wood, ahead a dark ocean, and a few tall lights the cast the dock in a pale yellow glow. Nothing about the setting seemed at all frightening. It was more… dull, to be honest. Dull, boring, and lonely.
Sonya. Would she show up? Or was he just giving himself another reason to try and contest the fact that she was dead.
"Come out, come out, where ever you are," he whispered. And waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Nothing happened.
He lost track of how long he was out there, listening to the wind and waves, but he could see the sky becoming lighter in the distance. A heavy sigh escaped him. Remotely upset, Johnny did commend himself on not bringing Kaoru out here. He was right; the pain was just too much when hopes were that high. Keys jingling in hand, he said a silent prayer for her, and turned to leave.
But something in the air made him stop. It was a peculiar scent, an odd tang to the misty fish and salt smell associated with the sea. Citrus. It was citrus, and it was familiar to him. As the aroma became stronger, he was hit with the realization that it smelled exactly like the shampoo Sonya used to use.
"Sonya?" And foolishly, he waited for a reply. After a moment of echoed silence, his head dropped as he chuckled without humor. A hand rubbed his face and swept through his hair. "Goddamn wishful thinking," he muttered. Again, he sighed and turned toward the parking lot.
She stared at him without expression, her eyes as mute as her voice, hands still and stiff at her sides, her face so close to his they could have kissed if one moved closer. In shock and surprise, Johnny gasped and blinked and found nothing in front of him.
He suddenly never felt so exhilarated, or so alone.