**Author's Note: Ok, ok, so its finally up. This is Episode 7, and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews, and I am so sorry for the wait. I just have too many other writing projects plus school going on at once. I'll try not to take as long for the next update. I really want to get this story finished so I can put it on a shelf lol, and concentrate on other works :) Take care, I hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to REVIEW :)**




Episode 7



"Sage you open this door right now!" Yayoi yelled forcefully. Rowen stood back with a grimace on his face at the shrillness of her tone. "Hey Sage, unlock the door buddy," Rowen called after Yayoi to try to give the request more appeal.

"Seiji Date, right now! Or I'm gonna bust this door in!"

"Yayoi, you can't..." we've already broken one of Mia's doors this week, she'll kick us out if we make a habit of it. Or worse, start charging us rent! "Ya..."

"You give me no choice!" She pushed Rowen out of the way, she had surprising strength for someone who looked so refined and delicate. She kicked the door in with her sneaker encased foot, and didn't flinch at the groan of the wood breaking beneath her heel. The door sprang open, and Yayoi stalked into the room like a panther looking for prey. "Oh no you don't!" She broke into a run, and Rowen stepped into the room to see what Yayoi was chasing. Sage was halfway out of the window, with plans to no doubt climb over the balcony and shimmy down the drain pipe that ran from roof to backyard. He and Rowen had done it often enough to know that it was completely safe.

Rowen cringed as Yayoi snagged him by the collar of his t-shirt, and dragged him back in through the window. Sage yelped and squirmed in her painful hold. She threw him down on the floor before her and glared at him, "You look a perfect mess. Explain yourself."

Sage pulled his knees into his chest and dropped his head down onto them refusing to look at his older sister, "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Oh you don't?" Yayoi got down on her knees in front of him, grabbing his head and forcing him to look at her. "Now you do, you little brat. You've been worrying the family half to death at home, Fairy Child, and Mother and I have driven a long way for you to hide behind your damn hair, and tell us what we can, and can't do!" Yayoi was growling in disgust, she tangled her fingers in his messy hair, "You need a hair cut. When's the last time you combed this mess? And what in the world do you have on? You look like...like, him!" Yayoi tossed her head back to glare at Rowen. "I know you, Fairy Child, I know you well enough to not automatically assume you're doing drugs. What's going on here?"

"Nothing Yayoi, and you're right, I'm not doing drugs. I'm fine! Now go away!"

Sage tried to pull away from her, but she kept her grip on his chin firm.

"No way Fairy Child," she grunted as she stood and fought to drag him to his feet. "From what I can see you aren't eating enough, you're skinnier than Blue Boy over there, and you're not getting enough sleep, you've got bags under your eyes darker than Satsuki's hair." Once she had him standing, he immediately tried to turn away from her. He was stopped and held by the shoulders. Then without a word his sister stared at the bare skin of his arms left uncovered by the black t-shirt, "What happened to your arms?"

"Yayoi leave me alone!"

"Is there more than just this...do I have to pull your shirt off, your pants? Don't get bashful now, Little Brother, I've seen it all. Well?"

"Gods!" Sage tried to pull away from her.

"Hey, what happened in here?" Ryo, Kento, and Cye entered eyeing the broken door warily. Mia was going to evict them... Cye made a small noise, drawing their attention to Yayoi grappling with Sage, as Rowen stood by and watched.

Sage's shirt came up over his head revealing his back, the pale skin marred by large angry red blotches. The girl held the shirt over the struggling boy's head, ignoring his protests. She yanked the shirt back down roughly and glared at him, "Explain, Seiji."

"No!"

"Don't make me slap you!" Yayoi erupted, shaking her brother, not softening at the tears falling from his eyes and staining his face. "Did someone do this to you, or did you do this to yourself?"

Sage sniffled, and tried to look away from her.

"You did it to yourself. Why?"

"Please..."

Her grey eyes narrowed evilly, and they darted about the room sizing up each boy that wavered near them threatening to break her hold on Sage. A match had been struck inside her at seeing the way her brother cowered and hid himself from her, it was dropped into kindling when she saw the damage he'd done to himself, and was now a raging inferno at his tears... "Who....touched...you?" The words were short and clipped, dripping with acid. "Who...dared...to...touch...you?"

"No..."

"Who?" She pulled him to her, "Was it one of them? I'll kill them..."

"No, it wasn't, they saved me.... oh gods, please..."

"Who...was...it? And be very careful of who you accuse, because Big Sister's going to kill them in cold blood. I don't wish to go to prison for a mistake. Nobody touches you, or Satsuki....no one. Now you tell me who did this!"

"Dead...he's dead..."

"He?" Fire was in her eyes, making them shimmer like hot brimstone in depths of Hell.

"You wouldn't understand..."

"He touched you, I understand. How did he die?"

"We killed him," Rowen answered her question lightly from behind her, he stood leaning against the wall nearest to the closet with his arms folded over his chest. "It happened in New York, that time he was gone. He was kidnaped, we found him, and killed the guy who did it."

"No mention of this was made to the family...you said..."

"Sage didn't want us to tell."

"Why?" Yayoi's eyes never left her brother's. "Why did you keep this from us? Why didn't you come home?"

"B...Because..."

"What?"

"Gods I let them... I was stupid, and I let them trick me...and then I.....I broke, and I was weak....and then...then... Gods, I'm so dirty. I don't want to contaminate anyone else. Father and Grandfather would be so ashamed of me... and hate me, and.."

"Shut up you little idiot!" Yayoi rolled her eyes heavenward and brought the boy to her chest guiding his head to her shoulder, "You're so stupid Little Fairy. No one in that house could ever hate you. You could become a serial killer, and they'd find a way to defend you of your crazy crimes. They worship the ground you walk on there. You can always, always, come home. Always."

"But..."

"Screw honor and pride, dignity and respect. Screw weak and strong, innocence and guilt Sage. This isn't about that, it's about family, and love. How could you ever think someone else putting their filthy hands on you and taking advantage of you could ever be your fault? It's not your fault you're pure and gentle, with a light in you that draws others. It's not your fault you're beautiful. You can't be ashamed of what you cannot control and what you cannot undo. The only fault in this matter lies with the one who rots in Hell now."

"You're not embarrassed?"

"That you're sniveling like a child? A little perhaps, but if it helps you... go ahead."

~*~~*~~*~

Cye blinked, Yayoi was no mother hen, but she could take care of business when it came to her family...her brother in particular. Her words were harsh, the comfort in her arms she offered seemed stiff and awkward, but Sage relaxed against her, and... he cried. He cried long and hard, squeezing her tight.

Gods, it's what he needed. He needed to release, he had been holding on to so much. Cye felt the weights slowly being lifted off of Sage's chest at the blind acceptance from his family. "Should we leave them alone?"

Ryo nodded, tugging at Kento's sleeve to get him moving, and shooting a glance to Rowen. Rowen slowly made his way over, and they left the room together. They lingered just long enough to see Yayoi going down with Sage as he crumpled to his knees, the harsh sobs wracking his body too much for him to keep his balance.

"...should just take him home," Dr. Date was saying as Rowen, Ryo, Kento, and Cye reentered the kitchen. "I should have come out sooner, I knew something was wrong."

"He is coming around..."

"I just don't understand...no wait, I do understand." The conversation stopped and both women looked up to see the intruders.

"Where are Yayoi and Sage?" Dr. Date asked, peering around them. "That noise from upstairs?"

"Yayoi kicking in a door," Rowen supplied dryly.

"Are they arguing?"

"No... they need a little time alone," Rowen said.

"Rowen...why didn't you call me?"

Rowen wanted hide his face for shame as the blond woman stared at him, her grey eyes questing for an answer from him. What could he have said that could have made her feel better? No Dr. Vi, Sage doesn't hate you...only himself. Your son got raped by demons, and he tried to kill himself with a mystical sword, but don't worry he's fine now. Oh yeah, he could see that going over real well in the Date household. If he'd said any of that he'd have Grandfather Date and Mr. Date staring down his throat too, but at least they didn't have those chilling grey eyes. "Uh....I'm sorry Dr. Vi, he didn't want...we thought.... we were helping him. He's getting better."

"Why didn't you tell me what happened? I think I have a right to know if my son's been kidnaped. Where the authorities called, are there police reports? I let my son stay here, but that doesn't cut his family out of his life, and give you complete control!" Dr Date stood up, her face flushed and her grey eyes blazing with righteous anger.

"Go up there right now, and tell Yayoi to help Sage pack his things. We'll leave as soon as he has what he cannot part with."

"But Vi..."

"Dr. Date," Dr. Date said cooly to Mia who'd tried to intercede on their behalf.

"Dr. Date, it wouldn't be a good idea to take him away from his friends right now. He's.."

"...my son, and it's time he came home. Rowen, go and tell them. They have 15 minutes. I'd like to get back home before my husband is through giving his classes for the day."

"Dr. Date, you're making a mistake," Ryo sputtered.

"My only mistake was not coming to get him sooner. I'll be in the car. Good day."

They watched the blond woman stalk out of the room her purse swishing at her side.

"Sage can't tell them what really happened to him. He'll end up putting on another happy show like he did in that hospital," Kento groaned.

"Just when we were finally getting somewhere," Cye breathed sadly.

"I'll go and tell Sage and Yayoi..." Rowen said walking away from the somber group looking dazed.

"Guys?" Ryo was blinking. The circle of warriors was about to be broken again, just when it had been repaired.

What would being separated do to Sage?

"What do we do now? We can't fight this one... She's his mom."

In the faces of monsters and malevolent nether-spirits they were fierce and undefeated, but in the face of a 5'6 blond American woman they trembled and stood poised to lose.

"Guys," Ryo said again, this time not wanting to get their attention to ask a question, but to make a statement.

"Yeah?"

"This really sucks."

"And the title 'Master of Stating the Obvious' goes to...Ryo Sanada!" Kento boomed in a fake radio announcer's voice.

"We should follow Rowen," Cye said softly. "He shouldn't have to tell Sage he has to leave alone."

"Um...guys?"

"What Ryo?" Cye rolled his eyes, "Are you going to add that this 'really, REALLY, sucks?"

"No," Ryo snapped, then sobered. "If Sage tries something stupid again, who'll be there to know how to find him? And who will stop him? We had to use the armors, his family won't have that."

Cye and Kento were quiet.

"Lets just hope no one will have to answer that one, buddy," Kento resolved finally. "That's one multiple choice question I never want to see on a test because there's no way to study for it."

They went upstairs then to catch up to Rowen so they could tell Sage as a group that he had to leave them.



**Author's note: Yes I know it's short...once again I'm sorry. I could have made it longer, but people were getting impatient lol, so I decided to just sum up what I had and to make up for it in the next Episode :) Well...what did you think, other than it was too brief lol? Please review, oh and I have a new web page up devoted to my anime fiction. All of my stories aren't up there quite yet, I'm still working...but it will be a more reliable place than ff.net to read updates. We all know how frustrating this place can be lol. Well, take care!**