A/N: Here's chapter two, I thought I'd update since I'll be leaving Friday and not coming back until the following Saturday. Hopefully by then I'll have more reviews, hint hint pleaaaaaase?
I'd also like to thank the two people who did review. The two people. sighs
CerseiTear(): Thank you, I hope you like this chapter as well.
ff-anime-AM-sp0rks: THANK YOU! bows down You've no idea how badly that was bothering me! Have a cookie! Holds up plate
Disclaimer: I own nothing, very very poor. So don't sue, you'll just waste money on court fees.
"Forgiveness sometimes cannot be given. There are some things that you may do that will forever brand you and ruin your chances of ever being forgiven. But, they are few."
Chapter Two
Slowly Aeris closed the door behind her and rested against it. She'd just spent a little over two hours at Satoshi's apartment, working on her homework
She was beginning to think she liked Satoshi very much... but who in all the hells did he remind her of?
"Kyuu!"
Aeris blinked and looked down to see Chuu on the ground. "Oh, there you are Chuu. Come along, I'll make us dinner." She sat her on the counter and begun to make veggie stew when the doorbell rang. Wiping her hands on her black apron she hurried to the door and opened it.
On her doorstep was Satoshi, holding her literature book. "You forgot this."
"Oh! Thank you, come inside, I was just making dinner." From the kitchen there was a soft "Kyuu!"
"I don't want to intrude-" He began but she rolled her eyes.
"Satoshi. I've seen you in cooking class... share my dinner with me." He blinked behind his glasses.
"I shouldn't." But he took off his shoes near the door and followed her into the kitchen, with every intention of staying.
"Yes you should, now come on." She'd been almost ready to start making the roll dough when he arrived and it sat on the table. A large dish of flour next to it, "Now... what else did I need to do?" Without thinking she moved Chuu off of the counter and onto the table so she'd have more room.
Satoshi watched as the small creature nosed it's way over to the flour dish. It began to put its paws on the rim and he moved to pick it up when Chuu sneezed.
Right into the flour, sending it all skyward.
And right into a very surprised Satoshi's face.
"Oh Chuu, you know your allergic to flour-" Aeris started to say as she turned to move her little friend, until she caught sight of Satoshi.
And promptly burst into a fit of giggles.
The corners of his mouth twitched and she quickly wet a paper towel all the while silently shaking with suppressed laughter.
He took off his glasses and wiped off the lens while carefully watching her face. "You're trying not to laugh." Aeris's nodded, holding Chuu carefully in her arms, not realizing just how close they were to the flour dish.
Chuu sneezed again, sending flour right into Aeris's face.
Aeris's blinked, then looked at Satoshi to see him grinning. "That's what you get for laughing."
She laughed and quickly wiped her face clean and then stirred the stew. "Just keep her away from the flour dish before the whole kitchen gets covered."
Once the stew was done they sat down at the table and begun to eat while Chuu munched happily on carrots and celery. "Where is your family?" He asked and she nearly dropped her spoon.
"...I've no family. Hence the last name Shimensoka." (A/N: Shimensoka means "Forsaken" in Japanese.)
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean, someone gave you that name?"
"Oh yes, I even remember the jerk who gave it to me. Police Commissioner Hiwatari." She spat and Satoshi suddenly went rigid. "Yes I believe that was his name."
Satoshi stared at her. "He-he gave you that name?"
Aeris looked darkly at her soup. "Branded me with it. No pun intended," She muttered, feeling the old pain in her shoulder, resisting the urge to rub it.
She looked up to find him staring at her. "Is something wrong...?"
"No... Not at all." He slowly finished his stew and rose. "Thank you for dinner."
"Oh, it's nothing." Aeris waved away his thanks.
"I'd better go." He left, walking slowly through the rain that had begun to fall, not feeling any of it.
"He seemed upset..." Aeris whispered to Chuu, watching him walk through the window. "Was it something I said...?"
"Kyuu!"
Satoshi sank onto his floor, leaning his back against the wall. Slowly he reached for his phone and dialed the number he never called.
"Hello?"
"Father."
"Satoshi, you sound upset." Hiwatari's voice didn't sound concerned, more like bored.
"Why did you name her that?"
There was dead silence on the line.
"So she remembers that it was me. Interesting."
"That's something people would tend to remember." Satoshi held his anger in check; it would do no good to release it.
"So she knows who you are?"
"No. Otherwise I doubt she'd even look at me."
"Watch her Satoshi, she's capable of anything." He warned.
"What did she do, why are you so interested in her? Why did you give her that name?" Satoshi demanded and he heard a soft sigh on the line.
"Don't concern yourself with such trifle matters. Just watch her."
The connection was terminated.
It rained and rained. Pounding brutally on the windowpanes with flashes of lightening every few seconds. And still Satoshi watched.
From his bedroom he could see her own. She lay on the bed, tossing and turning in sleep.
It was now Sunday, well really Monday seeing as it was 1:26 in the morning. Finally he climbed into his own bed and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take him.
Blood. That's what all the red stuff was, blood. And they were covered in it, and now she was as well. "Please... please wake up, please..." Aeris shook their bodies, but they gave no response.
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood.
She was covered in it, and she felt so sick. "Why won't you wake up? Please? I'm scared..."
"Please don't leave me all alone..."
Aeris shot up, covered in a cold sweat, her scar burning. At first she didn't realize where she was.
Then it all came flooding back and she pulled her knees up to her body and wrapped her arms around them.
The chain felt heavier than ever in the darkness and she tugged at it ruefully.
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she looked at her clock. 2:57. With a sigh she fell back onto her bed, pulling the sheets up over her body.
"Some things don't change, no matter where you are."
Aeris slowly made her way to school, on time this time, and sat by Riku who stared at her. "Are you all right Aeris?"
"Yeah, just tired." She mumbled slumping into her seat.
"You look it, the thunder keep you up?" Riku asked.
"Oh, yeah. So loud you know..." Aeris lied quietly as class begun.
Sitting all by herself at break, Aeris fed Chuu some of her rice balls. Stretching out on the grass she closed her weary eyes. She had the worse headache... Why not sleep? She wasn't hungry anyway...
"Riku, have you seen Aeris?" Satoshi asked as he approached her. She was sitting with Daisuke and her sister Risa.
"So you haven't seen her either then..." Riku bit her lip. "We usually have lunch together but today..."
"I'll help you look for her Satoshi." Daisuke said getting up. "After all, she couldn't have gone far."
"Or she could've been kidnapped!" Takeshi interrupted happily, "That's front page news, let me help search!"
Satoshi sighed and the duo begun to look for her, calling her name.
After 10 minutes Daisuke scratched his head. "She should have heard us..." He stepped to the right and tripped.
"Oof!"
Takeshi burst out laughing. "Your so clumsy! Bet you tripped over your own feet!" He leaned over the bush to give him a hand up when he spotted what Daisuke tripped over.
Aeris's body.
"Jeez, Aeris's, I'm sorry! You okay?" Daisuke quickly apologized. "Uh, Aeris...?"
"SHE'S DEAD!" Takeshi yelped and yanked Daisuke out of the way while Satoshi came running and shoved them both out of the way and knelt next to her, gently taking her wrist to feel for a pulse.
All the while Takeshi was taking shot after shot. "She was like that when we found her! I don't think holding her hand will help her-"
"She's not dead idiot. Just asleep." Satoshi snapped, "Give me that camera- "
"No way! Just because your all embarrassed about your girlfriend doesn't mean you can confiscate my camera!" Takeshi shouted and Daisuke knelt next to her.
"Why hasn't she woken up, Takeshi's so loud..." He felt her head to find it hot. "Hey guys, she's hot!" Daisuke said and Satoshi stopped making a grab for Takeshi's camera.
"Yeah, what you haven't noticed?" Takeshi asked and Satoshi glared at him and placed his hand on her forehead.
"She's burning up..."
"Uh, yeah, she's a real babe and all-" Takeshi rolled his eyes, "I get it."
"No Takeshi! She's got a fever." Daisuke picked up Wiz and Chuu and backed up to give Satoshi room.
He gently lifted her into his arms and started towards the clinic. "Tell the teacher where we've gone."
"Jeez, how come Satoshi gets the girl? She picks the antisocial, note taking, pompous, stick up his-" Takeshi grumbled but Daisuke covered his mouth.
"Somebody's gotta do something about you, Takeshi." He sighed.
Aeris could see the blinding light even with her eyes closed. She moaned and rolled onto her side, she felt downright wretched.
"At first I assumed she'd fallen asleep, but since her fever is so high, she might have fainted."
The voice sounded so far off and somewhat familiar. Could it be? Satoshi...?
"I'll call her house, someone will have to come and pick her up." That voice she was sure she'd never heard.
"No one is at home."
Now she was sure of it; that was Satoshi's voice.
"Let her sleep here, then I'll take her home myself."
"We can do that. You will pick her up and the end of the day Mr...."
"Hiwatari. Satoshi Hiwatari."
Her eyes snapped open and she shot up, feeling something soft and warm fall from her shoulders and into her lap.
She was in a white room on a white cot with blinding white lights. Satoshi stood next to a woman in a nurse's uniform and Riku and Daisuke were hovering in the doorframe.
"Ms. Shimensoka! Your awake, how do you feel?" The nurse asked kindly and she reached to feel her forehead but Aeris jerked back.
"I think... I need to go home..." Her head was pounding, 'Hiwatari... Hiwatari...' She swung her legs over the edge of the cot and started to rise.
"Ms. Shimensoka! Just rest, Mr. Hiwatari will take you home shortly." She pushed her lightly back but Aeris just jerked up and off of the cot.
"No! I can go by myself." Her legs were slightly wobbly but she pushed past them both and made her way to the door where Daisuke and Riku backed up but a firm hand grabbed her wrist.
"Your ill, you can't. Let me-" Satoshi started calmly but she jerked out of his clutch.
"I'll be fine!" Brushing past Daisuke and Riku she ran as fast as she could, ignoring their shouts until she was out of the school building and running down the sidewalk and a mere fifty feet from her apartment.
'He's related to that asshole! That's why he acted so strange! Ugh!' Half of her mind was screaming while the other just remained sadly quiet.
'Why didn't he tell me? That's why he looks so familiar, he looks like Hiwatari. I thought he was my friend...'
Throwing open her door she slammed it close behind her and stumbled into the small living room.
Collapsing on the carpet she curled into a small ball and tried to push the thoughts away and stop the pounding in her head.
'He's probably just like him, no good... what do I do?'
Closing her eyes she eased her body and fell asleep, not even bothering to get up off the carpet.
Or to lock the door.
Satoshi paused outside of her apartment, her backpack in one hand and Chuu in the other. When he knocked and heard no response he turned the knob and found it open.
He kicked off his shoes and walked in, setting her backpack near the door and carrying Chuu into the living room where he found her.
She lay on the carpet, one arm acting as a pillow under her head, asleep.
He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom where he gently laid her on the bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders.
In the bathroom he wet a washcloth and then placed it on her forehead. "Chuu, watch over her. I'll come back with dinner."
"Kyuu!" Chuu hopped to her side and placed her head on her arm, watching her face.
Satoshi put his hands in his pockets and left silently. 'I wouldn't be surprised if she hates me.' Sighing he walked on, unaware that his coming and going had been watched.