A/N Hi guys I know its been a while, but I have one more chapter ready. Don't know when #27 is coming out but you will learn a little about Aki's past in the next act. Enjoy

Act 26

Takumi had arrived at Lake Akina a few minutes ago. He had parked beside Aki's FC and could barely make out Aki's figure sitting on the dock through the darkness. Sitting on the hood of his car he waited. She wasn't going to be happy with him telling Chris where she was but he hoped she'd forgive him. He looked up the road. No headlights yet. Takumi sighed. He knew he was stalling but he had no idea how to deal with this situation. Bunta had always handled it before. Takumi waited. Chris might know how to handle this better. A few moments later he heard two cars coming down the road.

//What's Ryosuke doing here?// he thought as he noticed the white FC. He watched them get out of their cars. He glanced to Ryosuke then back to Chris.

"Should he be here?"

"He would have followed me anyway," Chris shrugged. Then he looked down the pier. "Have you tried talking to her yet?"

Takumi shook his head. "I know her. She's not going to want to see me right now."

"Well your going to come with me, she needs someone to talk to," Chris stated as he began to walk down the dock.

Ryosuke remained by the cars. He knew she wouldn't talk to them, just as he wouldn't talk to his teammates about something very personal. Their position as team leaders required that they kept themselves apart from their team. They had to be for they couldn't be allowed to show favoritism or the team would fall apart. Ryosuke admitted that Aki was closer to her team than he was to his, yet like him she still had to keep some distance from the rest of her team. However it left them isolated in times like these.

***********

Aki stood on the dock staring out at the water. It was calm, unlike her mind. Her emotions raged inside her like a hurricane and she could feel her shields about to break. Hearing footsteps behind her she glanced back.

"Go away Takumi. I'm so angry with you right now and I don't want to say something I will regret later, so just leave," she stated quietly, a tinge of betrayl colouring her voice. Takumi began to protest. "Now!" Takumi shrugged at Chris as if to say I told you so and headed back to his car. "You might as well go too," Aki said to Chris.

"I think you need someone to talk to first," commented Chris.

"Perhaps, but it will not be you," Aki established. "Just go Chris, I need space right now not a friend."

"Are you-"

"Chris! Not Now!" Aki glared at him. She saw him flinch and her shields crumbled some more. He was only trying to help but she wanted him to leave before she broke down in tears.

She watched him leave reluctantly and it was then that she saw him. Ryosuke was standing by the cars watching her. She heard Chris' Firebird leave the lot followed by Takumi's 86 and she could not longer hold it in. She began to shake.

//He's a rival. I can't let him see me like this,// Aki thought as she ducked into the shadows caused by one of the boats. She hugged herself trying to control herself. //Why is he here? It was a racer like him that started all of this.//

Aki turned her back on him as she saw him walking towards her and she heard him stop a few feet away.

"I don't know why you're here, but I don't need your help," Aki said with her back to him. Inside she was proud. Although she could feel tears streaking her face, she managed to keep the trembling out of her voice. Behind her Ryosuke said nothing. Seconds later Aki felt Ryosuke's arms around her and she froze.

He rested his head on her shoulder and spoke softly, "Push me away and I'll leave."

Aki didn't move. She couldn't. Her mind was screaming at her in panic to push him away but another part of her wanted to tell him everything. Tell him and make the pain go away. Without thinking she turned and buried her head in his shoulder. Ryosuke held her tighter as the last of her shields collapsed and sobs racked her body.

A/N To be continued.