Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. If I did, I'd have to suffer with...stuff. I don't own the song the girl sings, either; it's from the Anastasia movie.

Claimer: I own (from this chapter):

Replies to reviews:

Lookintomyeyeswhatdoyousee: I have a feeling Kai doesn't want to be asked something like that :D

Chibiwolfgurl: Just wait and see...

Fiver: That's alright and...I'm still tossing up between the Kai/Hil, cause I kind of suck at writing stuff like that. Especially with Kai o.0

Other:

MidnightBallad: WOW! Feels like forever since I updated (blows dust off the story). So...will you forgive me if I say sorry? Hahaha...read on! Sorry, it's short...ish

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Hold my Hand

Chapter Seven: Only a Shadow

Far away, a teenager sat in the dark of her room, staring out at the sky. A sky that was painted with stars, the moon lighting everything in a pale, frosty glow. Sighing deeply, the teen opened the window, swinging it wide until it hit the wall, and she hauled herself butt-first onto the windowsill, taking hold of the guttering on the roof, and gingerly climbing onto the tiled roof. Taking a deep breath, she crawled on her hands and knees until she reached the very top, swung herself around, and sat down with her legs flopped down on the slope of the roof.

Here, the entire city could be seen, sparkling in the night beneath a thin layer of snow. An owl swooped by just below, its feathers rustling in the night.

The girl began to hum under her breath, running her fingers through the snow on the roof. Eventually, the hum became a sweet song. 'Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember...and a song, someone sings, once upon a December –

'Someone holds me safe and warm, horses prance through a silver storm, figures dancing gracefully across my memories...'

The girl continued to hum; eventually began to sing again. 'Someone holds me safe and warm, horses dance through a silver storm, figures dancing gracefully, across my memories –

'Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember, things my heart, used to know, things its yearns to remember...and a song, someone sings.' She held this for a while, before sighing and continuing. 'One upon a December...'

The girl stopped, her breath rising as silver mist. 'So...are you only a shadow?'

-

Hilary was skipping down the aisle between the seats on the plane – a plane that was bound to Russia – humming the words to some song Kai knew as 'Once Upon a December'.

'Hilary, can you...shut up!' Rei snapped, taking off his headphones. 'Why are you singing that song anyway?'

'Because, Rei, it's symbolic to our journey!' Hilary said with a bright smile on her face. Rei's face fell. 'How so?'

Hilary took a deep breath. 'Well, the song is from a movie about a Russian princess who goes looking for her family, but her memory is kind jumbled. Kai's doing the same thing – he's Russian, he's looking for someone in his past, which in this case, is utterly screwed!'

'Thanks...' Kai mumbled from his seat at the window, although his eyes weren't fixed on Hilary. They gazed out the window at the blue sky, at the white clouds passing beneath them.

'What's wrong, Kai?' Hilary said, jumping into the seat next to him. 'Why're you sad?'

'I'm not!' Kai snapped, whipping around to face her. Hilary was trying to stare him down, so Kai just turned back to the window.

Hilary said timidly, 'Kai? Do you think – Susi is your sister?'

Kai had been thinking the same thing. And deep down...he knew it. Susi had been lost to him so long ago. He almost felt that he had betrayed her somehow, leaving her in the orphanage.

But, then again, Kai had never known about her...

Kai closed his eyes, whispering to himself. 'She can't be...only a shadow.'

-

Someone whacked Kai over the head with a can of soda. Grunting as he awoke, Kai saw Rei and Hilary leaning over his seat. The plane seemed to have landed. Hilary beamed, and Rei just nodded his head.

'Ready to go?' he asked.

Kai's eyes slipped back out the window. The land outside was cold, frozen beneath a cloak of snow. So, I'm back... Kai thought.

The rest of the day was a blur to Kai: retrieving his bags from the airport, grabbing a ride to his hotel (conveniently booked by Mr. Dickens) and tossing his stuff in a set of drawers. Gazing around his empty room, Kai went over to the window and drew back the curtains.

There the evil demon was, reflected in the glass, his – Ozuma's – eyes almost hollow. Kai stepped back, throwing the curtains back together.

'Haine!' Kai growled to no one. 'You're still following me?'

A voice in his head laughed. I'll keep haunting you, Kai...until my debt is paid off –

'Shut up!' Kai yelled, kicking the window; he heard it crack. Cursing, Kai slowly opened the windows, and no longer was the demon there. Just a crack in the glass. Whistling innocently, Kai decided to go down to the reception area to ask the person down there something.

-

The receptionist handed Kai a map of Moscow, saying, 'Well, there aren't many orphanages around these days. My best bet would be The Saint's Orphanage, but be careful not to miss it. It's been revamped over the last year.'

Kai nodded, pocketing the map. 'I'll remember, thanks.'

He was met a few seconds later by Rei, who looked very bored indeed, throwing his Beyblade between his hands.

'Hi...'

Kai frowned slightly. 'Hi – what?'

Rei hung his head back. 'I am so bored!' (A/N: Kinda ooc for Rei...sounds more like something Tyson would say).

Kai folded his arms across his chest. 'I got the map, we're going to go Susi-hunting in the morning.'

Rei's head snapped back up the right way. 'Hilary's bored, too. She's been chasing me all over the place, wanting to manicure my nails. I tell you, if you don't give her something to do –'

'I will, then.' Kai replied firmly. 'She can ring up The Saint's Orphanage and ask if a girl named Susi is still there.'

Rei looked rather unconvinced that something that simple would keep Hilary entertained.

-

Hilary hung up the phone, a bright smile plastered over her face. She turned to Kai and Rei, who had been waiting with baited breaths.

'She's there!' Hilary burst out, almost jumping off the ground. 'I can't believe it!'

Kai breathed a very...very long sighed of relief. So, the trip over here hadn't been in vain. He was really going to meet the girl from the strange 'dream' Haine had sent him into.

-

Morning had never come so quickly. Breakfast had never passed so quickly. And, before Kai knew what had hit him, he was sitting in the back of a taxi as it drove himself, Rei and Hilary to The Saint's Orphanage.

Kai felt like he was going to be sick.

And Hilary was still humming 'Once Upon a December'. Wait, no – she'd switched songs to another she later said was called 'Journey to the Past'. Kai supposed this song was as significant to his trip as the last one was, although to him it sounded sappier.

The taxi turned into a street that looked rather old, but somehow new. Kai noticed that many old buildings had been extended recently, in particular a large building right at the end of the street, surrounded by a wrought iron fence/gate that was marked with frost.

The taxi drew nearer to these gates, its tires crunching in the snow. Kai had second thoughts about opening the door, but eventually he worked up the nerve to do so, and swung it open quickly, allowing Rei and Hilary to jump out before he slammed it shut. Kai leant in the front passenger window, paid the driver and then gazed up at the orphanage. It looked in much better shape than it had in his dream –

'Who're you?'

Kai, Rei and Hilary turned to see a little boy, no older than six, staring at them from behind the gate. His eyes seemed larger than usual in his head, and his tiny fingers clasped the gate like they were prison bars.

'Hey.' Hilary said, bending down to eye level. 'I'm Hilary – me and my friends are looking for someone.'

The little boy narrowed his bug-like eyes. 'Who?'

Hilary cast a look at Kai, who finally spoke out. 'A girl named Susi.'

The boy gasped and jumped away from the gate, pointing a finger straight at Kai. 'Y-you! Ever since you came...Susi's been going crazy! She's been talking in her sleep, talking about angels and demons. The Headmistress had to lock her up for a week. And all the while she was silent. We thought she'd died.'

'I'm not here to kill her, kid.'

But the little boy was off, leaving deep footprints in the snow.

'Susi's been going crazy every since you appeared?' Rei questioned his captain. 'But...why?'

'I don't know,' Kai answered coldly. 'Let's find out.' He keyed the intercom, and a metallic voice answered:

'Welcome to The Saint's Orphanage, how may we help you?'

'I'm here to talk to a girl named Susi, where can I find her?' Kai asked like a legitimate man.

There was silence, a 'hold, please', and then the gate finally swung open. Children that were playing in the snow turned their heads, a group of older teens gazed almost hatefully at the trio entering their home.

Kai, Rei and Hilary reached the front door, where they were met by the Headmistress, a tall skeletal woman with dark hair and a crooked nose. Looking at Kai, then at Rei and finally at Hilary, she stepped back into the hallway. 'Susi is outside, playing with some of the younger children. You may go see her, but make it quick.' She shut the door quickly in their faces.

Rei rolled his shoulders determinedly. 'Alright...let's go get her.'

-End chapter seven-

MidnightBallad: Ack, it's done! Hoorah! I'll update again soon, I promise. If not, feel free to yell at me :D

Tata, all!