Yumigirl06: Well, guys, I'm updating... I'm really sorry about the big gap, but Region tests for band and schoolwork have been tearing me apart...

Odd: Excuses, excuses...

Kiki: Seriously... I have been!!!

Jeremie: So, what's happening in this chappie?

Kiki: You'll just have to wait and read to find out...

Jeremie: Enough talk; must read story now!

Kiki: Dude, don't worry, you'll get to read it...

Vicky: Hmm... Where is she?

Angie: I don't know... We gotta be quiet though so she doesn't hear us...

Yumi, Ulrich, Jeremie, Odd, Aelita: ????

Kiki: Oh, crap... I gtg guys...

Ulrich: Who're they?

Kiki: They're after me... I owe them some... stuff.... Gotta run!

Vicky: Hey! There she is!!! C'mon Angie!!! After her!!

Angie: Hold on.... runs and grabs Kiki's bat Okay! I'm ready!!!

Vicky: Alright! She can't escape now!!!

Kiki: GAH!!! Runs away leaving group in wonder.

Kiki walked into the room with the first aid kit. Yumi was still in the same position as she was left, and Aelita was finishing the cleaning of the room. A ring from the phone in the room startled a silent room and Aelita reached across the desk to answer it. It was Ulrich, and he wanted to talk to Kiki. Kiki picked up the receiver and spoke into it.

"Ulrich?"

"Hey Kiki. I'm going to talk to the principal about this. The school should be guarded until her attacker is caught. We'll be gone, but I don't want anyone else left behind to suffer the same fate or worse."

"Why don't you bring him here to our room? Yumi can tell him herself."

"I don't think Yumi's ready to talk."

"She needs to. And Ulrich," She said as she walked out of the room so Yumi couldn't hear.

"I think you should bring her parents and the police too..."

"What?! Are you crazy? Her parents will take her back to their house and she won't be allowed to come back to the school!"

"Well, what would you rather have? Her stay here and take the chance of it happening again? Possibly worse than before? What do you want for her Ulrich?"

"The best."

"Then you'll have to let her choose what's best for her, not what you think is best. Whatever she or her parents choose is the best for her, that's what you'll have to be okay with; even if you don't like it. Okay?"

"I guess. I'll be there in about half an hour with everyone. I'll call her parents first and explain as they're coming up here. Tell Yumi they're coming."

"Okay. See you later Ulrich,"

"Bye Kiki." The blonde hung up the phone and walked back into the room. Yumi looked at the window, then back at Kiki.

"What did he say?" Kiki sat down beside Yumi.

"Well, I talked to him and we both decided that we should notify someone about this. He's calling your parents as we speak and getting the principal and police. They'll be here in about half an hour." Yumi's onyx eyes became wide, then went normal and looked down at the floor. She sighed heavily and looked back at Kiki, tears welling up inside out of shame. She was scared of what her parents would say or do when she told them. Kiki put a comforting arm around Yumi's shoulders and put her head on her shoulder.

"Wanna talk about it? It might be easier after you've already told someone." Yumi nodded and Kiki sat up to face her. Aelita walked over to the bed and sat down on the other side of Yumi. Yumi took another deep breath and began her story.

"After you left Kiki, I went about my way packing for the trip Friday. He door was closed, so I thought I was safe. A few minutes later, I heard a shuffle. Turned, but all I saw was a slightly opened door. I went to close it, then heard a noise behind me." Yumi shuddered when she said this, and Kiki and Aelita gave her a moment to regain her composure.

"Then, as I was turning around, someone pushed me hard against the door and held me there. He had a deep voice and talked quietly. He felt around for my pocket knife and cut the back of my shirt open. I... thought he was going to rape me... so I started to cry... and he grabbed my wrist and pulled it behind my back and dragged me to my bed. Then the next thing I heard was Ulrich's voice asking to talk to me. The guy told me to tell him to go away, and I tried to so he wouldn't hurt me. Ulrich was persistent though and kept at it, causing the guy to leave through the window. He tied me up with the duct tape and went out the window. Then Ulrich broke down the door and you guys came..." She said trailing off. Just as Aelita was about to say something, the door opened. Kiki turned to face the door, her hands ready to fly at will. A hand shot out from behind the door, signaling they were friendly, and Ulrich opened the rest of the door to reveal Yumi's parents. Yumi's mom rushed to Yumi's side, pulling her into a tight hug. Her dad closed the door behind him and went to her other side. Ulrich kept his distance from her dad, unsure of what he would say or do. Aelita mouthed to Kiki that she was going to see Jeremie and left the room. Yumi's mom pulled away from the hug and started asking Yumi all these questions about what happened. Yumi tried her best to answer them, but broke down halfway through explaining what happened. Kiki took over and told them what Yumi had told her earlier. The principal came in with the police a few minutes later, and the cops started to ask the same questions over again, getting a description of the attacker. The police asked Ulrich and Kiki to leave, which they did reluctantly. Yumi wanted them to stay and be her support, but her parents overruled her and out they went. Kiki wanted to stay and wait for them, but Ulrich wanted to go to the park to think. Kiki said she'd go with him and they went to the park. After several minutes of silence, Ulrich broke the silence.

"I should've come sooner. None of this would've happened if I would've gone there sooner."

"You can't blame yourself for this Ulrich. It's not your fault."

"I would've been able to protect her. He wouldn't have been able to lay a hand on her. I should've been there for her, but it's too late. I can't even comfort her now. Her dad's probably not gonna let me even see her ever again."

"Don't say that. If anything she won't want to talk for a while. I don't think her dad will want her to stop seeing you because someone else did something to her." As they continued walking, silence fell on them once again. It was like this way for about 10 minutes until a faint call could be heard, and it was getting louder.

"Ulrich! Kiki!"

"You heard that Kiki?"

"Yeah. It sounds like Odd." Kiki turned around to see Odd running as fast as he could up to them. Ulrich and Kiki cold tell his urgency and ran up to him.

"Guys I'm glad I found you. It's Yumi."

"What happened?" Ulrich asked worriedly.

"She an away looking for you or Kiki. No one knows where she went and we're all worried for her. Can you help us?"

"Of course. Ulrich, you and Odd go look around here. I'm going to look in a place she could be. If I find her, I'll call you."

"Okay. See you later!" They called as they ran away deeper in the forest. Kiki turned in the opposite direction and ran for the one place she knew that Yumi would go when she needed to find her to talk to or if she needed some quiet. After a few close calls with Yumi's parents and the police, Kiki made it to the place. She looked around, making sure no one was there and pulled out a heavy chain leading to a trap door. She opened the door slowly and went down into her secret lounge. This place had everything one could use to live in here, from sinks, to a fridge, to a bathroom, to a kitchen. It was brightly decorated and provided a comfortable atmosphere of peace. Yumi was usually in the bedroom when she wanted to be alone and on the couch when she wanted to talk. She looked around the whole place and finally found Yumi in the bathroom, crying her eyes out. Kiki walked u to Yumi and pulled her to her feet. Yumi's eyes were red and puffy, signaling she had been crying for a while.

"Yumi, you know that you shouldn't have run away from the police and your parents. They wanna help you."

"Yeah, they do. They wanna help me by taking me out of school and moving me to another one."

"What?!"

"Yeah. They want me to be taken out before the trip so I can't go. They want to make sure that I'll be here so they can keep an eye on me."

"Have you told them you don't want to?"

"Yes, but they didn't wanna listen to me."

"Maybe we can help. I told Ulrich I'd call him if I found you. I'll tell him to come here and we'll talk." She said as she pulled out her cell phone. Yumi became nervous as Kiki pressed the speed dial button to call him.

'Will he tell my parents? I don't want to go back to them... not after that interrogation' Yumi stood up and walked into the bedroom, closed the door behind her and locked it. Kiki noticed this, and as the door locked, Ulrich picked up.

"Did you find her?"

"Yeah, she's in the lounge."

"Lounge?"

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you guys this, but I have my own little underground lounge that I made myself. Yumi and I come here sometimes to talk about school, boys, to think, whatever."

"Do the others know about this thing?"

"None of the guys know, so lease don't tell them... Go to the woods. Look for various scratches on the trees; each notch represents ten steps and the arrow tells which way to go. Half a notch means half the number of steps."

"Okay, I'll call if I need any help. How's Yumi?"

"She went into another room when I dialed you... I don't know what's wrong, but I'll try and find out."

"Okay, see you later." A click could be heard from the other side and Ulrich wasted no time in starting for the forest. Kiki hung up her phone and turned to the bedroom door. She knocked softly and listened carefully.

"Yumi? Are you there?" The door opened slightly and Yumi's teary face appeared through the crack in the door.

"What'd he say?"

"He's on his way. I gave him directions to the lounge."

"Is he going to take me back to my parents?"

"I don't know. He wanted to know how you were, and I told him I wish I knew. Are you scared he'll take you back?"

"Yeah. I don't want to go back"

"Maybe he doesn't want to take you back. We'll see when he gets here. For now, let's watch some TV." The girls went into the kitchen and fixed some snacks, then went to the living room to watch TV. Half an hour later, a noise above them could be heard. Another creaking noise happened after that, and Ulrich appeared walking down the steps to the lounge.

Kiki: So yeah guys, that was my update... now there won't be one for like, ever again!!! For real, I'm sorry for the... oh, 2 month no-updating period, but I still love youse guys!!!!!