Disclaimer: Rio is mine... Kao-ri is yohko-lily's... Nikita is Wolfy's... and GOD I wish I had Kai, Tala, and Rei. -. -

"Talking"

"Thinking"

Stress a word

Flashback or Dreams


Shadow

Chapter 4


Walking into the main room of the Benu, Rei was surprised to see that the place never missed a beat. He heard the last few notes of a belching girl on the stage. It was the girl who was with Hiwatari's sister. She looked so wasted, and was tripping down the steps of the stage.

Nikita jumped up off of her seat at the bar next to Rio, and ran towards the drunk girl, not wanting anymore "damage" to happen. Out of the corner of her eye, Rio noticed the neko-jin that had helped her not too long ago. She was thankful to see no broken limbs on the man after seeing the furiating look Tala and Kai had been giving him. She decided that Nikita had a handle on Kao, and quickly rushed over to find out the scoop on what happened.

"Hey!" she said, making over towards his side. "Are you ok?" Rei looked down at her, surprised to see Rio so quickly since his departure.

Nodding his head, he replied, "Yup I'm just fine...what about you? How's your injury?" He lifted his hand and pointed out her swollen eye and cheek that were bright red from the ice she had put over top of it. She reached up and touched her eye, flinching at the pressure on the tender spot.

"I'll live. What did my brother do to you?" Rio immediately looked over his arms, face, and neck for any sign of bruising or blood. Rei blushed lightly and let out a soft chuckle.

"I'm fine...really...don't worry about me, Hiwatari-san..."

Rio looked him square in the eye, and growled at the formality used. "You make me sound like I'm fifty years old. I'm just Rio."

"Sorry...Rio...then...you don't have to worry about me..." Rei smirked towards her, lowering his head towards her. "I'm a big boy..."

Rio looked at him as serious as she could, but she bursted into laughter. "I can see that." She continued to look up at him. He had to be seven inches taller than her. "Now, are you sure Kai didn't do anything. I know the whole secrecy thing amongst the male species, but really..."

Rei nodded at her and smiled. "I'm sure... so..." Rei caught a glimpse of Kao-ri in the corner of his eyes. "Err...is your friend going to be ok?" Rio turned around, looking back at the direction Rei was looking. She noticed Kao being held up by Nikita. She cringed.

"I'm not sure."

"What happened to her? She can't be that upset that I let you get a little scoffed up...can she?"

"She was going to talk to her boyfriend..." Sudden her eyes opened wide. "Shit..."

"Why was she up on stage...while she was drunk for that matter?"

"Oh, fuck... I think I know what's wrong... Damnit..." Rio felt terrible, and she ran off, leaving Rei in the dust. She didn't even say good-bye, her mind was wandering too much. There was too much worry for Kao filing her.

"Well at least she's getting comfortable around me..." thought Rei with an evil grin.

Rio ran over towards Nikita and Kao who were on their way towards a table just off to the side of the dance floor. Rio had to push through the crowd to get to her two friends. A concerned frowned was laced over Nikita's face, and Kao was holding her head in her hang over.

"She ok?" asked Rio. Kao-ri grumbled something incoherent as she rubbed her face with her hand, smudging the make-up she had on her face. Nikita looked worrisome towards Rio, who gave the same face.

"I think you should sit down Kao-ri," stated Nikita, trying to pull the girl towards the seat that was available.

"D-Dwon't twell m-m-me...what to do," slurred Kao-ri feeling extremely dizzy.

"No Kao...you told us you wanted to sit down," quickly stated Rio, flashing a smirk towards Nikita, who sweat dropped. Kao seemed to believe it enough and sat down in the seat that Rio offered to her. Kao-ri looked up at Rio with her foggy eyes.

"Make s-sur...Tala...don't come ova..." she garbled once again.

"Why don't you want Tala over here? Maybe he could help... or..."

"N-No!!!" she snapped rather quickly, jumping as she almost fell out of her chair. Nikita and Rio quickly grabbed her and reset her in the seat.

"You got to calm down," stated Rio, rushing over towards the bar, and returned with a cup of water in her hands. "Here drink this." She handed her a cup of water.

"My head hurts..." Kao-ri groaned as she started to take a few sips of the liquid.

"At least you can legally drink," Rio mumbled under her breath. Nikita flashed the Hiwatari a quick glance over, as it was not the time for discussion such as that. Rio quickly snapped her mouth shut at Nikita's glance.

"I'm wondering why she drank so much," Nikki whispered over towards Rio.

"You need to talk to us, Kao," Rio stated firmly. Kao put the cup of water down and her eyes started to stream down with tears. Rio felt a gut stabbing feeling inside her. Well, what ever it was, her best friend was obviously very upset about it.

"J-Juro."

"Juro what?" asked Rio, wanting more information about Kao's future fiancé. Nikita was giving Kao-ri a worried-mother look. Kao let out a deranged smile at the thought of reliving her past.

"He's getting married..." Rio and Nikita's eyes opened wide. They had heard rumors about Hiisakuro Juro being a player, but what about what Tala had told Rio? He had spotted him at the Jewelers. It did not make sense at all.

"Kao," stated Rio, letting her voice sift off. She didn't know what to say, what to do. She quickly glanced over towards Nikita, but she was no help, for she was just as stunned as Rio. "But Kao didn't want to marry him. Why is she so upset? She must have liked him deep down." "Kao...I'm sorry..."

"I don't need your fucking pity!" snapped Kao-ri jumping in her chair, looking up at Rio. "I-I mean don't--don't be sorry Rio...it was my own fault..." Rio was a bit taken back by what Kao-ri had said to her. She was drunk true, but still it hurt.

"I'm guessing this is more of a best friend thing," stated Nikita "Do want me to go?"

"No," sighed Kao-ri. "I'm going to go...I mean...I'm going to go home...so...no sweat Nikki..." Kao got up and walked off into the crowd a little unsteady, as she bumped into many of the people. Rio still felt the twinge of pain inside her.

"I didn't mean anything like that," thought Rio. Nikki looked over towards her friend.

"Rio? Are you alright?" she asked. Rio nodded her head and quickly wiped away a coming tear. It was her bruised eye that was watering and it hurt her more as he brushed over the tender surface.

"I'll be fine. I'm still worried about Kao..."

"Yea...she shouldn't be walking home alone feeling that way...I think she really just needs comforting, ne?" asked Nikita, hinting to Rio.

"I know, but she doesn't want me around her," replied Rio. "Didn't you hear her?"

"Rio, you're her best friend. You're probably the only one she would open up and really talk to," stated Nikita, trying to reason with her. "And it seems she really needs a best friend now."

"She... she...I'll do my best," sighed Rio, walking off after Kao. But she turned around quickly. "Watch your back, Nikki, I think Kai's somewhere around here."

Nikita snorted and laughed off the thought. "Oh don't worry about me, you know I can handle myself!"

"And I'm sure that includes seeing yourself to the door." Nikita spun around as the voice was said behind her. There stood Hiwatari Kai, draping a thin blond girl next to him. Nikita's eyes flashed her anger, and she narrowed her glance at the side ornament, Iriri Masha. She turned around to face him.

"I'm not causing any trouble am I, Kai-san?" asked Nikki, trying to act mockingly innocent. Kai rolled his eyes, his arm draped over his latest mistress.

"I'd love to see that day. Where's my sister, Vorobev?" questioned Kai. Masha was rubbing her hand lightly over Kai's chest, pressing herself close to his side. Nikki was holding herself from jumping out and punching the whore out. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she couldn't help it, something inside her was making her act this way.

"She's walking Kao-ri home," stated Nikita, trying to hide her smirk.

"And why aren't you following them?" he quickly snapped towards her.

"Aw. How sweet," cooed Nikita. "You trust me to look after your little sister for you."

Kai snorted, "I trust you as far as I can throw you, which I might pull a muscle picking you up..."

Nikita rolled her eyes, "I'm insulted, really." Her voice was dripping of sarcasm.

"Well, what are you still doing here anyway? Didn't I have Spencer 'escort' you out earlier?" questioned Kai, raising his brow towards her, meeting the glare that Nikita was portraying off her face.

"That wouldn't exactly be of your business."

"And why wouldn't that be my business when its my club," inquired Kai, interested in the response that Vorobev was going to give.

"I was making sure someone was alright."

"Well, your services aren't needed anymore," sighed Kai.

"Which is why I was going to take my leave before you started asking questions..."

"Kaaaiiii," huskily stated Masha, batting her eyelashes at him. Kai turned his attention off of Nikita for a second and looked down at the woman who was attached to him. His expression changed and his attitude towards her did as well.

"Yes..." Nikita continued to get mad for some reason by the second. It had to be the way Kai had treated her, and then the way he treated the whore, but hided it.

"Why can't you just fire that slut already?" asked the blonde haired bitch, clinging to the Hiwatari. "I mean, you always fight with her and she's a bad influence on Little Rio...in fact so is that Nakedashi girl too!!!!" Kai smirked at the girl, and tapped her nose with his fingertip, receiving a little squeak from the whore.

"I have fired her, dear," declared Kai, flashing a quick look over towards Nikita, who crossed her arms and turned her head away. "But it seems as though she's a parasite... you can't get rid of her easily."

Nikita rolled her eyes, "It's because this 'bad influence' just happens to have been hired by Hiwatari Rio, who, need I remind you, does own part of this club. And I'm good at my job and you know it." She smirked, knowing what she said was true, and Kai knew it, even if he would never admit to it.

"See dear," stated Kai, turning his attention back down toward Masha. "If it wasn't for the naive nature of my sister, I wouldn't have to deal with viruses such as Vorobev here. Poor dear sister..." Masha let out a squeaky laugh, placing her hand over her nose.

"It's really sad how your so blind, Hiwatari," stated Nikita.

"The only time I'm blind is when I have to look at you, that is when I choose to be blind." With that, Nikita growled and stormed off around Kai, heading for the exit. She didn't want to be there any longer. It wasn't worth it being called a parasite when she was one of the reasons for the success of the club.

"I can't let him get to me. I can't let him get to me. I can't let him get to me... Curse him..."


A week had passed since that night with Kevin, and Rei made it to his apartment room at 2 in the morning. He had gotten that job that he wanted, but it wasn't as "interesting" as he hoped it would be. To start off, either Bryan or Spencer was always around him, and he never got an assignment worth the time of day.

He would either have to start a deal with a teenage dealer, or even make sure that a delivery came through at the docks. But he was always having the blond or the lavender haired man breathing over his neck. But Rei was good at his "job", everything he was asked, it was done. And it was done efficiently and quickly. Spencer and Bryan wouldn't admit it, and certainly neither would Kai or Tala, but they were impressed with him. He knew it.

And Rio, he had seen her around a lot. The times he came into the Benu for a new assignment, the younger Hiwatari would rush over and ask him not to go in. He smirked. She was falling for him already. Rei was playing her like a violin.

Rei unlocked and opened the door to his apartment, walking into the darkness. Sighing, he flipped the lights on and flopped down onto the couch. He couldn't drag himself to get into his bed. Not that it was the most comfortable thing in the world, but it made do.

Suddenly there was a cool, wet pressing against the side of his face, and a pair of arms snaked around his neck, pulling him lightly off of his seat and into the pair of breasts behind him.

"I was waiting for you, Koi," stated the sly voice behind him. Rei moaned lightly and turned his head around, his lips ensnared in a heated, passionate kiss. His tongue slid and explored the open and willing mouth of his girlfriend. Pulling a part just for oxygen, he panted slightly.

"What are you doing here, Mariah?" asked Rei. Mariah pouted and swerved her body over to sit on top of his lap, draping her arm around his neck. Patting the growing arousal in his lap.

"Are you not happy to see me, Rei-kun?" asked Mariah, placing little teasing kisses along his jaw and tracing down his neck and chest. "Then again, parts of you must be happy to see me. I can feel it." Rei was temped, he was very tempted, but he had to push his long time girlfriend off of him, and he jumped up off the couch.

"You can't be here," he stated. Mariah sat back in a huff, a frown crossing over her face. Her whole sexy attitude just did a reverse.

"And why not Rei?" she questioned harshly. "Don't tell me you're seeing someone else behind my back! 'Cause if you are, I'm going to kill her, and then I'm going to-"

"Shh, baby," stated Rei, leaning forward and catching her lips and words in a soft kiss. "There will never be anyone else, beloved. I just can't be seen with a Bái Hu Zu member."

"And why not?" Obviously Lee had not clued Mariah into Rei's plan. He mentally cursed the leader of the group, but pushed it aside as Mariah drew his attention back in.

"Because, I'm on the case," he replied. Mariah's eyes widened, as she knew exactly what that was about. "And it requires me to get close to the Hiwatari. That means I can't be seen with the Bái Hu Zu. And if one of Hiwatari's men see us, I'm as good as dead right now." Mariah stood up and gave him another kiss, nipping at his bottom lip.

"All right, Rei-kun," she said. "I figure this includes using that Hiwatari bitch." Her eyes narrowed into slits at the thought of that, her temper rising inside of her. "You know I don't approve of that, but I guess it is out of my hands."

"Don't worry about me, Mariah," stated Rei, giving her one more kiss.

"I don't worry about you, Koi," she replied with a smile. "I worry that the Hiwatari bitch will try and get you into bed with her." Rei smirked and kissed her once again, this time running his tongue under her lip, asking for entrance. Mariah was only happy to oblige and opened her mouth, running her tongue with his.

"That could never happen, dear," he stated as they pulled apart. "You're the only one who I will court in such a manner." Mariah smirked and picked up her black leather jacket.

"As long as I know that, I'll survive this separation," she stated, going towards the door. "But remember Rei-kun, each night you are gone, the more I'm going to make you suffer when you come back."


"Onii-san," rang the voice of a little three-year-old Hiwatari Rio. Her chubby little baby face was filled with a smile as she was gazing down at the menu in her hands. A younger Kai, a nine-year-old Kai, looked down at his little sister, who was actually holding the menu upside down.

"Here, onee-chan. Hold it like this," he stated, putting down his homework and reset Rio's menu.

"How do you say this, onii-san?" asked Rio pointing at the middle of the menu. Kai looked over and examined the word that she had pointed out.

"That is 'salad'," stated Kai. Rio looked hard at the word and started to chant "salad" continuously, trying to remember what the word looked like. Kai couldn't help but laugh at Rio's antics. A few of the customers around them chuckled, and a few growled at the toddler.

"Kai, when is Okaa-san done working?" she asked, putting the menu down and started to twiddle her thumbs becoming quite bored with the diner that their mother. Kai went back to his arithmetic homework, trying to figure out the problems that their teacher had given to them.

"In a bit, Rio-chan," stated Kai, scribbling down the answer he got. Rio sat back in her highchair. She grabbed her dolly off of the counter and started to play with her, glancing over towards the clock behind the counter. Rio put down her dolly and picked up a red crayon and started to draw a red bird on a napkin with long tail feathers.

"How are my two babies doing?" asked a tall, beautiful silver haired Russian walking around behind the counter. Rio squeaked with her happiness, clapping her hands together.

"Okaa-san!" she chanted. Hiwatari Rahil, their mother, leaned over the counter and stuck her cheek over for Rio to give her a big kiss. She then received one from Kai, and looked between the two of them.

"You two are behaving yourselves?" Rahil asked. Rio nodded her head rather fast, letting her hair flap up and down behind her. Rahil leaned over and fixed the ribbon in Rio's hair.

"Yup, Okaa-san," stated Kai. Rahil smiled at her well-mannered children.

"Good," she said. "Listen, I have to work later today than normal. Do you think you could get both you and your sister to the apartment by yourselves? The diner isn't a very fun place for a child to hang around." She looked between the two and Kai nodded his head at her request. "Wonderful. I'll call your grandmother to go over and watch you tonight." She gave the two of them kisses and headed around to the kitchen. Kai packed up his homework into his duffle bag and jumped out of his seat. Helping Rio out of her highchair, he grasped her hand in his and headed for the exit of the diner. Turning around, Kai looked back towards his okaa-san.

"Okaa-san?"

"What is it Kai?" she asked, leaning over the counter.

"I—" Suddenly Kai noticed a pistol barrel raising slowly over the head of his mother. His face turned a ghostly color, and Rio let out a piercing scream, clinging to his side. Rahil did not seem to notice it or hear Rio. Kai opened his mouth to warn his mother, but no words would come from him. He had gone mute all of a sudden. He tried to run towards her as the barrel was continuously raising over his head. Instead, he fell to the ground, pulling Rio down with him.

The little girl clung to him tightly, burying her face in his chest, and bawling her eyes out. Kai wrapped his little sister, and the other reached out for his mother. The trigger was pulled and every single thing in the room went dead silence as his mother collapsed onto the counter, her eyes empty sockets...


Kai jumped up in a dead sweat. Panting slightly he looked around his room, listening to the beeping of the alarm clock next to his bed, running his hand through his hair. He sat on the edge of his bed. His memory resurfaced. The memories of his childhood he had wanted to burry deep in his mind and never remember.

The tears of Rio he could feel on his face, the shaking that she commenced as he gripped her tightly in his arms. The pain of losing... Kai shook his head at the thought and had to regain himself.

"Hmm... Kai... what's the matter?" asked the red head next to him. Kai looked down at the woman and rubbed his face, pouring himself a cup of water from the nightstand.

"Oh... nothing," he stated. The red head sat up, covering her chest with the comforter, as she rubbed his back gingerly. Kai drank down the cool liquid until the glass was empty. He still could feel Rio against him. He could never get rid of those dreams. He had tried. He just couldn't.


A few days later, Kai was sifting through some paperwork on his desk, while Tala was lounging around the office in the Benu. There had been lots of phone call suggestions of having Rio sing at the club again, many of the customers petitioning for her return to the stage, but Kai had been firm on his ways. He wasn't going to let his sister portray herself as a whore. Kenny walked into the office, placing his laptop down and a large shift of mail was in his other hand.

"Here, Hiwatari-san," stated Kenny, handing over the mail. Kai took it, and started to flip through the junk mail and bills. Tala, lying down on the couch, looked up for a second, but turned his attention to his little nap. Kai's eyes scanned quickly over each letter as he quickly went through the pile. Then there was one that stopped him. It was an invitation. Kai held it lone from the others, and looked at it carefully.

"Did you see this one?" asked Kai looking up at Kenny. Kenny looked at the letter and nodded his head.

"I did run a scan of that address. It is the governor's address, sir."

"Now what on Earth would that man want me for?" Kai asked rhetorically, hoping Tala wouldn't have a smart-ass reply. He opened up the letter, and read it. It was an invitation to a charity ball on a cruise liner. He looked at it quizzically. "Junk." He threw the invitation down and Tala got up and quickly snatched it. Reading it over quickly he smirked.

"You really should reconsider it, Kai," stated Tala, throwing the invitation at his boss and best friend. Kai glared at him and looked at the letter once more.

"Why should I? I owe nothing to that bastard," declared Kai.

"You don't want the feds looking around here do you?" asked Tala. "Put on a show for them, showcase yourself."

"You are making me sound like a Go-go girl, Tala," declared Kai. "Which I am surely not. This is just going to be a waste of time." Tala rolled his eyes.

"Kai, think about it. It's the governor's charity ball. If you attend it and act like the gentleman well all know you can be, you can work in the fact that you aren't doing anything illegal in the club or your other businesses."

"Sounds too shifty, Tala," stated Kai. "I never was asked to attend one of these before, what if it is a trap?"

"Everything's a trap to you since that incident in the alley way last month," quickly informed Tala. Kai growled lightly at his best friend. "What could it hurt? I'll go if you want. We could probably bring Bryan along as well, and anyone else you think should got, just incase."

"Dates," stated Kai. "We need women for this one." Tala smirked.

"Your only problem should be which one to take," he laughed. Kai chuckled as well at the thought.

"And who are you going to take?" he asked. Tala shrugged.

"I'll find one," he stated. "And it won't be one of your hand-me-down-whores."

"Rio, she'll figure this out rather quickly," Kai declared. "That girl has ears the size of Tokyo."

"So, you're going to go with her?" asked Tala. Kai shook his head.

"No, but I guess we should bring her along." Just then there was a knocking at the door. Kenny walked over and opened the door, and standing in the hallway was Rei, dressed in his leather jacket and his pockets filled with his hands.

"You wanted me, sir?" asked Rei. Kai nodded and waved his hands, beckoning him to come closer.

"Did you get it?" asked Kai. Rei nodded and threw down a package onto the table. Kai took it and opened it up. Inside was a black videotape. Kai put the tape in his desk and nodded towards the boy. "Rei, I was wondering if you knew anything about the Governor's Charity Ball?" Rei shrugged.

"I've heard that it was this weekend, and that most of the corporate presidents around the town are going to be there," he replied.

"I am going to be attending this affair," Kai stated. "I want you to come along as well." Rei nodded his head.

"Alright," he stated.

"And Rei, you're going to need to find a date for this ball," Kai stated. Rei nodded his head once again, flashing a smile.

"No worry there," he stated.


OMG! Soooo sorry for the long update. I have finals and that's hectic... ugh. And now things are a mess, we're looking at a horse and its all crazy here! Well r&r!!!!

lil phoenix