Fractured Dreams

Chapter 4: Choices

Sorry for the delay. College took up most of my time and I totally forgot about the fic. Gomen. Thankyou for all the reviews. Now, the last chapter. Enjoy.

Tsukushi was sitting by the window alone. It has been almost a week since the day Doumyouji arrived at Hokkaido. So it was also almost a week since the horrible ordeal which almost took her child's life.

Since then, she had refused to see anyone but Tama. Tama had nursed her and served her every whim. Tama told her that she was overjoyed when she knew that Tsukushi was preganant and that the baby will be fine. Strangely, Tsukushi did not feel that Doumyouji felt the same way.

Doumyouji left for Tokyo the very next day after she regained consciousness. According to Tama, he had important company matters.

But what could be more important than his child?

" Tsukushi… look who's here.." Tsukushi turned around. Then she saw Tama ushering someone in.

"If it's Rui again, tell him to go away."
" How dare you tell Doumyouji Tsubaki to go away? Hurramph.. You mean I can't see my own sister?"
" Ne-chan…" Tsubaki grinned. Tama brought in a bouquet of flowers and set them in a vase beside the bed.

"So, my no-good brother of mine did it again. That boy really needed another bashing for what he did to you."
" Ne-chan.. no. I mean, I was also at fault you see. I was the one who left."
" But he was the one who made you left. Now, the very moment the doctor gave you a green light, we're going back to Doumyouji and I'll beat some sense into him."

" No.. it will make it worse." Tsukushi's eyes darted away. Tsubaki sighed. "You're being too easy on him." Staring at Tsukushi, Tsubaki whispered, "I wouldn't forgive him if I were you." Tsukushi was startled by her words. She stared at Tsubaki.

" Ne-chan.." Tsubaki smiled weakly. "Come on. Let's take a walk outside."

Tsubaki wheeled Tsukushi into the hospital garden. Slowly, they came to a clearing next to a lake. Not many people were there. There was a family picnicking by the trees and a couple of children playing catch.

"You'd wanted to tell me something, didn't you. That's why you came."
"What are you talking about?"
" You brought me here because you didn't want Tama to listen to what you're going to say." Tsubaki chuckled. " If she hears one word of it, she'll most probably end up with a heart attack." Tsukushi smiled weakly.

" Did he send you?" Tsubaki shook her head. "Not exactly but I just thought that I should be the one breaking the news to you. "

" He is leaving me for good, isn't he?"

Tsubaki wrapped her arms around Tsukushi. " Gomen ne, Tsukushi. I tried to talk him out of it..."

A solitary tear trailed down her cheeks. Tsukushi shrugged it off. "I guess it was not meant to be huh... my happy ending."

" Tsu.. there's more. Doumyouji has filed for a divorce. He also wished to do a paternity test for your child. If it was his, he will gain custody for the child. If the baby wasn't his, he'd left the custody to you."

Tsukushi did not reply. The tears came flooding down but she did not say a word. Not one word.

" Tsukushi.. what are you going to do?" Tsukushi just stared blankly.

There's only one thing to do.

In Tokyo. A week later.

Doumyouji was smoking in his office alone. His office was completely bare except for a stack of files, the telephone and Mont-blanc pen on his mahogany desk. There were no pictures of cute knick knacks. No flowers or plush cushions. The office felt empty as empty as he was right at that moment.

Suddenly, the phone beeped. On the speaker, Sakurako in panic stuttered, " Doumyouji-san.. Your... "

" Didn't I say I didn't want to see anyone right now?"

The door slammed open. Doumyouji looked up and saw Tsukushi standing in front of him.

Doumyouji was too stunned to say anything. He just watched her came in. Sakurako kept telling Tsukushi to wait outside but Tsukushi brushed her off.

Flash back... At the Eitoku stairs, the first time they met. Tsukushi was standing in front of him defiantly telling him off.

Just the way she was right now.

Tsukushi toss afolder onto the desk. "I've already signed it. I am divorcing you."
" I thought I am."
" And deprive me of the joy, I don't think so."
" You also have to sign the court order for the paternity test."
" I don't have to."
" Tsukushi.. I'd make you sign it..."
" I said I don't have to.
" What did you mean by that."
" That child was not yours. It was never yours."

Doumyouji froze. " Finally, you tell the truth."
" Since we are divorcing each other, I can't see why I should keep up with this charade."
" You are a liar, the most conniving bitch that I ever known," he stammered angrily.
" Why, thank you.." She smirked.

Doumyouji reached for the pen and signed the documents. " It was Rui wasn't it.. I should have known."
She whispered, " No.." Doumyouji stopped. Their eyes met for a second. For a moment, Doumyouji saw a flicker of tears in her eyes.

" This child's father.. is not Rui.. It was someone else."

Doumyouji could not control his anger. He smashed his fist down the desk. " How dare you.. not only with Rui.. someone else.. behind my back!"

He flung the documents back to her. The files hit the floor, scattering the papers away. Tsukushi did not pick it up.

" That person... unlike you. He loved me. He trusted me. He.."
" Stop talking you bitch.. Do you think I want to know?" Tsukushi did not reply. She turned around and tell Sakurako to send the papers to Tsubaki.

She walked out. She did not look back even once. Her back was the last thing Doumyouji saw of her.

The very next day, Doumyouji left for New York. Shortly after that, it's all over the news that Doumyouji Corporation has decided to shift all of his operations back to New York.

A few months after that in a small apartment in Hokkaido suburbs, Tsukushi was in bed with her newborn child. Tama, who had retired from her duties in Doumyouji's house, fussed over her like a mother hen.

" Tama-chan, don't tire yourself. I can take care of him."
" Tsubaki will scream at me if she knows I let you work even a sweat." Tsukushi smiled.

Her ex-sister in law turned out to be the blessing in her life. She had bought Tsukushi a house in Hokkaido where she and Tama now lived. Next month, her parents will join them, at least for a short while to see their new grandson. Her mother already told her on the phone that she's coming back to make sure that Tsukushi gets a few millions off Doumyouji's estate. Tsukushi already said no.

I didn't want to have anything to do with Doumyouji again for the rest of my life.

The door bell rang. Tama went to door wondering who it was. It turned out to be Rui.

Rui had helped her ever since she decided to stay back in Hokkaido. Tsukushi thought that she should not take advantage of Rui in this situation but Rui was adamant on helping her. In fact, he had helped a lot by getting her a job at a small kindergarten nearby and also keeping her whereabouts a secret from prying paparazzi and herold friends.

" I better leave you two alone." Tama winked. Rui and Tsukushi blushed.

This was the first time that they were alone together. Well, not exactly alone. At that exact moment, her baby started to cry loudly as if announcing his presence. Tsukushi shushed him down.

Rui chuckled, " Just like his father huh? Never the one to leave us alone." Tsukushi smiled demurely. She was holding her baby. Rui got up and caress the baby's black curls.

" He looked just like him." Tsukushi nodded.
" He'll come back, you know. Tsukasa. Once he knew..."
" He'll never come." Looking out of the window, she sighed."He'll never know. This baby is mine. Mine alone."
" The boy will need his father."
" That Doumyouji Tsukasa is dead. The one out there was just a sad copy.. a shadow of the man he was." Tsukushi lightly hushed the baby and planted a kiss on his forehead. The baby was sound asleep, secure in her arms.

" If he needed a father figure... you'd be there for him. Would you, Rui?" Rui glanced at her.
" Tsukushi..."
" You said you'd be there forever for me. Then, be there for him too."

Rui hesitated. Staring into Tsukushi's big brown eyes, he realized that his happiness was within reach. With that, he said yes.

Pulling her into embrace, he whispered, " I love you..."
Tsukushi did not answer. She just closed and her eyes and leaned back closer to him. Rui took her hand and lightly kiss it. Tsukushi glanced at the hand and noticed that she still wears her wedding ring.

Flashback.. Doumyouji kissing her hand after putting it on her finger. "Promise me you'll never take it off."
" I promise."

Tsukushi closed her eye and the memories turned into tears. I love you Doumyouji and I awlways will but I decided to find my future happiness with Hanazawa Rui.

Thanks for reading this. I really like how it ends. I hope you like it too. Stay tuned for the sequel of Fractured Dreams.