I've finally found time to type this chapter up. Woot! Anyway, there isn't much to say. Hope you like it.
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Chapter 7
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Kurama finished his chores and was about to sit down and read a book when his doorbell rang. He stood up and walked to the door and peeled it back. "Zoë?" He took note of the tears falling from her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Derrick…" she sobbed. "Can I just come in? I need to talk to someone."
"Oh of course. Forgive me." He jumped leading her in. "What about Derrick?"
"He came in today and… He almost told Yusuke about the…" She pause.
Kurama's eyes widened as he pulled her to him. "Shh. It's okay Zoë." Kurama stroked her hair.
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"Now is the time to strike. We must get her now."
"Shut up. I will take her as my mate, just not now. We have to wait."
"And what does Derrick being here have to do with helping your plan?"
"You saw what happened when he showed up."
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"Derrick you need to trust her judgements. Not every guy is out to hurt her. Just because you don't trust him doesn't mean she can't be friends." His aunt took a sip of her tea.
"He was kissing her."
"What's your point Derrick?"
He looked at the ground. "Dean kissed her too. That's how everything started. He was sweet to her. He would do anything she asked. He got everyone to trust him and then…" He balled his hands into fists. "Then he hurt her. He hurt her bad." He looked at his hands and then up at his aunt as tears rolled down his face. "She cried in my arm. She was afraid he was going to come back. Afraid he was going to try again. And then… Then I had to leave. I couldn't be there to comfort her. I couldn't be there to protect her."
"Derrick, it wasn't your fault." She took his hand in hers trying to comfort him. "If you hadn't been there, if you hadn't shown up…"
"He's out now. They released him last week."
"Is that why you're here? You're afraid he'll find her."
Derrick nodded.
"Well let's not think about that right now. If he does find her, Shuichi and his friends will protect her. He won't be stupid enough to do it here and she won't walk out of this door alone."
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Yusuke stood outside the door listening in on the conversation. 'This still doesn't tell me what happened. All I know now is that it was some guy named Dean and he did, whatever it was, when he was alone with her. I wonder if Kuwabara knows.' He walked down the hall. 'Why wouldn't she tell me? Does she not trust me? She said she does, but was she telling the truth?'
Yusuke then spent the next few hours looking for Kuwabara. He needed to know how to help her, even if she didn't want him to.
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"Oh Kurama. I just can't seem to escape this pain I feel." She sobbed in his arms as they sat on the couch.
Kurama ran his fingers through her hair and down her back to comfort her. "Shh." Lost in the need to protect her, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Everything will get better."
Zoë looked up into his eyes in confusion. Had he just kissed her? No, she must have imagined it. "Kurama?"
"Hmm?" He looked down at her and nodded, knowing what she was thinking. "I did. I'm sorry." He leaned down. "And I'm sorry for this. Forgive me." He breathed taking her lips in a soft kiss.
Frozen she sank into the kiss letting him take over. Sadly, her pulled away. She peeled her eyes open to find him looking down, his hair shadowing his eyes. "Kur-" She was cut off as he stood up.
"I am sorry that I cannot be any help to you. " He pulled her up and led her to the door.
"But Kurama." She interjected.
"Zoë… Allow me the pleasure of walking you home."
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"Urameshi? What are you talking about?" Kuwabara said. Yusuke found Kuwabara right outside his door. He had gotten a hold of him and called Kuwabara over.
"You know. That thing you know. I know you know what it is, so tell me what I want to you that you now know I know you know."
Kuwabara twitched. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"Hey guys. Whatcha talking about?" Zoë asked as she and Kurama came to a stop.
Kuwabara scratched his head. "I have no clue."
"You know about Dean!" Yusuke shouted.
Kuwabara continued to scratch his head. "Who?"
"What! How do you know about him! What are you doing butting into my life? I told you it was nothing. I can't believe you Yusuke!" Zoë ran off leaving the three boys behind.
She ran out of the apartment complex, tears stinging her eyes.
Hiei watched her run off from his perch at the top of the building. "Hn."
Zoë then vanished from his sight as she was yanked into an alley.
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"Hey! Let me go!" She shouted, only to be shoved into the brick wall. "No! Get away!"
"Quiet woman!" A skinny man with bright green eyes and long orange hair slapped her.
"What do you want with me?" Zoë said shakily as tear silently rolled down her cheeks.
"It is not me who wants you." Zoë tried to disappear through the wall as the man took a step closer. "I would not want a pathetic human like you." He picked her up and ran down the alley, jumping over the brick wall with Zoë slung over his shoulder.
-Meanwhile-
The door to Zoë's apartment suddenly flew open. "What the hell is going on here? Derrick looked at Yusuke. "What are you doing here?"
"I live here. Now go back inside. This doesn't concern you."
"Like hell. I heard my sister. Where is she?"
"She ran off."
"What! What did you do to her?" Derrick pinned Yusuke against the wall. "You better not have hurt her. I swear I'll…"
Yusuke pushed him away. "Tell me who Dean is."
"How do you know about him?"
"I heard you and Amber talking. Now tell me who he is and what he did to her."
Zoë's aunt stepped out of the door holding her cup of tea. "Dean was Derrick's best friend."
"Was!" Derrick emphasized.
"What happened to change that?" Yusuke was suddenly interested in what was to be said.
Derrick stared at the ground. "He…"
"Just spit it out already!"
"Shut up Urameshi!" Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara's hand as it came down to hit him.
"He tried to rape her." Zoë's aunt finished what Derrick couldn't.
"What! Well where is her?" Yusuke looks at everyone standing in the hall.
Derrick continued to look at the ground. "He was let out last week. I have a feeling he's here."
"Damn it!" Yusuke ran down the hall and outside.
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Hiei followed Zoë stelthfully, jumping from building to building before losing her completely. He looked down in anger and discovered Yusuke running with Kurama not far behind.