Here is chapter 7.  Please enjoy.

Do not own original characters: they belong to Takaya Natsuki.  Do not own Luna, Hikari, Dawn, Kairi, or Cole: they belong to Shiara Ramone.  I do own Jade and William.

Chapter 7: Forgiveness

            William sat in his room, miserably watching t.v. when his dad came in.  "William," he said, "I know you don't like me."  He got a glare from his son, his blue eyes blazing with anger and uncertainty as to what his father was getting at.  "I also know that there is a dance going on at your school."

"What's it to you?" William growled, wanting to be left alone.

"I was thinking that maybe we could start over and have a normal father-son relationship."

"After what you did to me?!" shouted the teen.  "I thought I was going through Hell thanks to you!"

"Listen…"

"No!  I'm through listening to you, you fucking basterd!"

"William!"  The man grabbed his son's shoulders, who suddenly froze in fear.  "Now listen, I'm trying to repent for what I've done.  I'll let you go to the dance.  I don't expect you to forgive me right away."

"I'll never forgive you for what you've done," William said as he stood up, freeing himself from his father's grasp.  "As far as I'm concerned, you can just go to Hell."  Then he ran out of the house, not even caring to look back.

*************

            Jade was dancing and singing in the front yard of the club when she saw William watching with a small smile.  She quickly stopped and began to blush.  "You can continue," he said to her.

"Not with you here," she said.  "It's too embarrassing."

            William walked up to her, still smiling.  "You hungry?"

"Uh, are you asking me out?" Jade asked, blushing even more.

"If that's what you wanna call it."

"Well… I already have a boyfriend in Japan, but I think it'll be okay if we just go as friends."

"So… Dawn didn't make you go after all then?" William asked her as they walked to a fast food place.

"Hikari had a talk with her."

"Oh."  They walked on in silence.  William didn't know what to say, and he sure didn't want to go home tonight.  "Hey, Jade," he said after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Can I stay at your place tonight?"

            Jade smiled.  "Of course you can… as a friend though, remember?"

"Of course."

*************

            The sakura tree next to Akito's room stood against the wind.  It was a beautiful tree, but was beginning to lose its vibrant life, as was Akito.  He never left his room.  Instead he would sit there, watching his favorite tree begin to die with him.

            He refused visitors except for Hatori.  Anyone else who entered his room now would have hell to pay.  Akito glanced at the door as it began to open.  "Hatori," he said as the Sohma doctor came in, "why do you even bother keeping me alive?"

"I'm just doing what any other doctor would have done."  He readied Akito's medicine, hoping that he would cooperate with him.

"I want to be free of pain," Akito told him.  "However, I… I do not wish to die."

            Hatori stared at him, surprised to hear fear in the head Sohma's voice.  Akito had always been so brave, but was it all an act?  Did he only pretend to be as brave as he sounded?  "Here," Hatori said as he handed him a painkiller.  "It should help ease your pain."

"Thank you, Hatori," Akito said as he took the pills and glass of water.  He hesitated before looking at his doctor and only friend.  "For eight years I've been curious, Hatori.  Why did you try to fool me?"

"I had no choice.  I wanted to protect her."

"And I said nothing until now.  Who was… no…  Who is she?"

"Jade Sohma.  She's eighteen now, and is Ayame's daughter."

            Akito then swallowed the pills and drank the water.  Once done, he said, "I would like to meet her and any other Sohmas that I do not know about."

            Hatori smiled; he knew Akito would not try anything now that he was weakened, not a nice thought but…  At least Akito was willing to accept at least a few visitors.

***********

            Jade sat next to William, watching "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" with Hikari, Luna, and Cole.  "Kill 'em, Legolas!  Come on!" cheered Hikari.  An arrow had met its mark in yet another orc.  "Yeah!  You're the greatest!"

            Cole and Luna watched silently, already knowing how it was going to end.  Jade, however, never saw it before, and although she saw the first movie, she still had to look away when someone would die a terrible, gruesome death.  William, on the other hand, thought that the violent scenes were the best parts of the whole movie.

            The door opened and in came Kairi and Dawn, surprised to see William in their home, and next to Jade even!  "We leave you at home and this is what happens," Dawn said, shaking her head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" questioned Jade.

"Oh please!  I thought it was weird that both of you weren't gonna go to the dance."

"He's staying here as a friend!"

"Why is he even staying here?"

"Because of my dad," William said quietly.  "He thinks I can just forgive him for making me suffer like that?  Yeah right!"

            Jade frowned.  "So then, you're never gonna forgive him, William?  No matter what?"

"Why should I?"

"Well, back in Japan the head of our family, Akito Sohma, is a violent person.  He tells everyone else what to do, and they obey him.  But when he found out about me, he was angry and I thought that he was going to hurt my father… but I've forgiven him."  She replaced her frown with a smile.  "If you can't forgive your own father, then how can you ever expect to love another?  It's just like what would happen if I didn't forgive Akito.  The hatred will begin to eat away at you, and when that happens your heart would be so full of hate that there would be no more room for love.  That… is truly unforgivable."

            William never thought of it that way before.  Maybe he could forgive his father after all?  He decided that he would try tomorrow, but for now he just wanted to spend some time with his friends.

There you all go!  Chapter 7!  Just wait till you read Chapter 8…  I think you may like it, at least I hope so.  More Momiji in chapter 8.  I'm almost done writing it, so it'll be posted soon.

Hikari Rioki