Review, please! I only have 5 reviews for the whole thing, and this is the 6th chappie already. My school week sucks, and nice reviews to be read on weekends is a great morale booster. Please review! You guys can even guess who all these mystery people without names are, and if yer right, I'll give a prize! (a Net prize, not a real prize)

Kai: Is there a reason, other than your own pathetic 'intelligence' (I use the term loosely) that you set me up with these people? You've set me up with a vampire, you're planning on setting me up with a girl who can't choose between me and Tala in a separate fic, and now I'm stuck with a girl who drives me crazy, thinks Max is cute (oh, my god, I think I'm gonna be sick!) and has a rotten family life! Explain.

Me: You're therapeutic.

Bladebreakers: Are you insane?

Me: If I wasn't, would I need therapy?

Max: Kai needs therapy and he's not insane.

Me: That's a matter of opinion. *huggles Kai and Max* Read and review.

Kai: If you freaks say this is cute, I'm going to kill you. Oh, and she doesn't own Beyblade, so anything you don't like is all her fault.

Me: Shut up! The discovery of Sakura's fucked up life (a piece of it)

Chapter Six: The Debt Paid (Unfortunately) and Discoveries Made

Brushing her hair, she noticed the dark smudge at her temple. Damn, she'd thought her bruises had healed already. Damn it. Picking up her fine toothed comb, she set to work on hiding the bruise. She didn't want Kai to find out where she'd gotten it, didn't want him to think she was damaged goods. She was starting to like him. She finished with her hair, and almost as a second thought, added a bit of glitter to her eyes. It wasn't outrageously noticeable, but it enhanced the look. She grinned into the mirror, prayed to God, and went downstairs to the door, hoping her team mate wouldn't see the signs of her punishment.

Kai looked down at his feet, suddenly nervous. Why the hell had he bought her flowers!? Well, they weren't roses, at least. Nothing romantic. Lilies and morning glories, that was all, white and blue, with baby's breath… why had he been so sentimental? Like she'd want flowers from him. She'd probably feed them to the garbage disposal when he dropped her off again. He was about to throw them away when she opened the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw the flowers, but she didn't say anything except, "Come on in, I forgot something." He swallowed hard and nodded, following her inside.

"How the hell did you know I liked lilies?"

"I guessed. They kinda remind me of… snow. Why do you ask, O Queen of Bladers?" She laughed at his stupid nickname. He only did that to annoy her, she knew.

"Just curious. Why don't you go find some pretty, rich girl? Then you wouldn't call me stuff like 'Queen of Bladers' and 'Princess of the Glaciers."

"How about… pearl of the snows?"

"You are an idiot."

"So you've told me many, many times, and each time it is a dagger to my heart." She threw a pillow at him, which he threw back. It got her right in the face. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to throw things?" Her eyes dimmed.

"My mother died when I was born." Oh. He hadn't meant to pry, but when he attempted to apologize, she laughed. "Don't try, it's pathetic." "Ah, shut up, yattermouth."

"So… a movie."

"What movie?" She looked at him. "I mean, which one did you wanna go see?" Sure he did. When she told him, he fell out of his chair. "No, no, NO! I am not going to see a movie about a fish lost in the ocean, no! Can't we go see something cool, like… like LXG? Or Underworld?"

"You are flippin' fruit loop, you know that? There's a double feature for the movies you wanna see. I'll go… if you buy me my candy."

"No. Buy your own candy."

(twenty minutes later)

"I cannot believe I'm buying your candy. What am I, your boyfriend? I mean… never mind."

"You are expensive." She shrugged, uncaring. Kai continued to stare. She looked at him. "Where do you put it all? You ate so much, and you're so skinny! How do you do it?"

"I have no idea. High metabolism, maybe."

"I'll remember to be wary of the vortex that is your mouth." She punched him, then flopped down on his couch. He went into a jacket pocket and took out a deck of cards. "We are going to play some poker."

"You assume I know how?"

"If not, I'll teach you." And they played. At the end of three hours, Kai slammed his head against the floor a few times and Sakura stuffed another fifty bucks into the ceramic pumpkin she used as a piggy bank. He thought it was adorable, gold with metallic green leaves, and it also had tiny wheels, windows, and a door, like Cinderella's coach. "Did you make that?" He asked from his prostrate position.

"Yep. Do you give up?"

"Um… no."

"Kai, you have nothing left."

"Sure we do." She looked confused. "How about this: If you win, I'll take-" She interrupted, saying, "I know what you're gonna say, and the answer is… no." He laughed at her flustered look. "Let's play chess instead." And she proceeded to kick his proverbial ass. Seventeen games later, Kai was whimpering, trying to suppress the urge to hit his head against the nearest immovable object. Never, his grandfather had once told him, play chess with a Russian. You will lose badly. He could see what his grandfather meant. He must have been insane! "We can stop anytime." He sighed and fell over. "Do not dare think you may crash here, Kai Kaido Voltaire. I do happen to have a rep, as well as a brother and three best friends who would kick your ass."

"Sure, wouldn't dream of it, I believe you… what are you doing?"

"It has been found, in my experience, that boys make excellent pillows." She replied, resting her head on his chest. "Plus, I'm tired, so… so. Just so."

"If you use me as a pillow, I get to use you as a radio. Sing me a song."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeah-huh."

"Do I have to?" He replied calmly, "You can forget about this pillow." Oh, he would pay. She'd sing, and by the end he'd be redder than her brother's hair.

"Fine."

"Don't know how ya do it,

like there's nothing to it.

You just look my way.

You come a little closer.

I lose my composure.

Don't know what to say.

I'm overwhelmed.

You smile, I melt.

And somewhere inside

Oh, baby, I

Shiver, tremble,

I never, no I never once felt so much.

It shakes me

How you take me

Deeper than I've ever been.

It's to the core.

I tremble and I

Shiver.

I love the way your whisper

Somehow softly lingers

In my ear

You move a little lower

World starts spinning slower

Then it disappears

Your lips so close

We kiss almost

Just barely touch

But that's enough to make me

Shiver, tremble,

I never, no I never once felt so much.

It shakes me

How you take me

Deeper than I've ever been.

It's to the core.

I tremble and I

Shiver.

"Wow." He whispered, softly, and kissed the back of her hand.

"What was that for?" She asked quietly, replacing herself to her favorite rug in front of the fireplace next to Kai. He gazed up at him expectantly.

"You're mouth was too far away. Sing me another, please? I love your voice." She sighed, and sang again.

"I can stand with the weight of the world

on my shoulders.

I can fight with the toughest

of the tough.

I can do anything I like.

I'm strong enough.

But when you're holding me like this

I'm helplessly lost in your touch

I'm completely defenseless

And baby, it's almost too much

I'm hopelessly, helplessly, recklessly

falling in love.

            She would have finished the song, but Kai's lips were sudden brushing against hers, the softest of kisses, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was doing. He kissed her again, a bit more confident when she kissed back. Her lips were so soft…. She gave him everything he asked for. That was the difference between Kai and… the other. Kai asked, he didn't demand. He was so gentle. His tongue traced over her bottom lip, begging entrance to her mouth. Her lips parted slightly, and his tongue explored her, stroking hers. Electricity crackled along their skin as they moved closer to each other. He never want this kiss to end. He pulled her close, but she didn't seem to mind. He ran his fingers through her hair, gently caressing her beautiful face. They lost themselves in each other, and then Kai realized just what he was doing. He broke away, but seeing the hurt on Sakura's face kept him from running like hell.

            "What's the matter?"

            "I can't believe I just did that!" She flinched. She felt her bottom lip trembling and bit down hard enough to draw blood. "I just kissed…" he trailed off. Sakura stared at the floor. What did he think of her? Did he think she was a slut? Well he wouldn't be too far off, but at least it wasn't voluntary, if that counted for anything. But he didn't know that, so why was he acting this way? And for that matter, why had he kissed her in the first place? He'd been the one to start it, god dammit!

            "I cannot believe I just did tha-"

            "Will you please stop saying that!? If you thought it sucked that bad, maybe you shouldn't have kissed me in the first place! You made the move, not me." Kai stared at Sakura in shock. She looked about ready to cry. Her eyes were oddly bright, and her fingers were twisted in her skirt. She looked at the floor. "Maybe you should go home." What? Why?

            "Sakura… I'm sorry." She didn't look at him. "Sakura?"

            "Now, please." He left. When he shut the door, he heard something strange. At first, he couldn't tell what it was, but then he realized: Sakura was crying. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't wanted to make her cry. But the normally cold girl was crying. He knocked, praying she wouldn't kill him. When she didn't answer, he slipped back inside and walked quietly to the living room. He stopped dead in his tracks.

            The blue-eyed blader sat hunched up, hold her knees. But what frightened him were the bruises. Her hair and clothes, he realized, had been specifically chosen to hide them. She'd made sure to never have her back to him, and he could see why. It was one large mass of black and blue, laced with quite a few slashes, as if from a knife… or a whip. There was a dark smudge the size of a quarter at her temple, and finger-shaped black bruises on her shoulders, wrists, and ankles. She had been beaten, badly. "Sakura…"

            She thought of running, but dismissed the idea. Where would she go? Kai had seen the evidence of her punishment. Now he would ask questions. "What the bloody hell happened to you?"

            "It's nothing-"

            "Bull shit!" She flinched. "Let me see." He knelt behind her and slid her dress down her shoulders. He couldn't help but notice her beauty, but he was more worried about these marks. He gently ran a hand down her back, and she sighed. She had been expecting pain, but Kai knew what he was doing. He carefully checked each bruise, speaking to her all the while. "You should tell Mr. Dickinson-"

            "No." She jumped when something warm and wet touched her shoulder, then trailed down to the middle of her back. "Kai-"

            "Shut up, I'm busy." He planted a gentle kiss on her shoulder blade, then continued. It felt wonderful to her. She couldn't believe she was letting him do this, though. But, it was so nice… "Is that better?"

            "Mmm."

            "You have more bruises, I know you do."

            "You don't get to see them." He kissed her cheek. "Will you stop that!?" He sighed, licked a small bruise on her shoulder. "Kai…"

            "Shhh… promise me you'll tell Mr. Dickinson."

            "I will soon." He nuzzled her cheek. He'd been wanting to do this for so long, touch her like this, kiss her. "Mmm…" He licked the pearly shell of her ear. "Did you really not like kissing me?"

            "I did… I was just surprised I had the nerve."

            "Prove it." His mouth captured hers in a passionate kiss. Outside, a two pairs of red eyes, oblivious to each other, watched the two teenagers with hatred.