Serki's waking dreams turned towards the past, the pain in her heart spilling over into her dreams as the two merged, painfully...so much to remember, so much to try and to forget...yet she could never escape her dreams...nor the memories they revived from her mind to remind her...always...
"Serki...don't try to behave older than you are, really its okay, little sister if your afraid of the storm, its okay to be afraid of the storm, we all have something to fear," Masao laughed as he sat beside a trembling little girl, who was no older than five as she struggled to control her fear. Moments later, Masao held the same trembling girl close to his heart as another terrible crash of lightening made the entire night appear bright and the compound walls tremble as thunder boomed through the darkness. She'd felt safe in the moment, clutched against her brother, safe from all danger...
Masao, you never failed to be there when I needed you the most...what will I do now, now that you are gone?
"Dammit Serki! You really have to be more careful, you know?" Kazuo growled as he returned from chasing off the bullies who had cornered her, "I know you aren't fully trained in everything yet, but still, avoid places like this. People who are here aren't great for you, as if those knuckle heads didn't already prove the point. Understand Ki-kun?" Then his expression had sofened as he tossled her hair once and lead her home...
Kazuo, you were the one who did everything you could to protect me and now that you are gone, how can I ever thank you enough for all that you did for me, my brothers?
Why couldn't I save you both? Why did you tell me to cross the wall that night, into utter safety, knowing you were both lying as you told me you'd be but a moment behind me? Why did I not see your lie? You were beaten bloody in both your forms and so was I for that matter, but we were together, brothers, and fighting for our home and loved ones. A Sadnesan never leaves their kith and kin behind, I wouldn't have left you or Kazuo to die had you not lied...I would have stayed till death took me away, instead, I ended waiting for you the the entire night at the forest and you never came...
Why did you save my life, knowing you would die and leave me in this pain? Why?
The answer seemed so simple, We love you, we knew you could move on...and with those words, Serki awoke to a still and very quiet small room.
She was aware of a weight drapped across her feet and as she looked down, she saw the upper body of a brown haired girl who was sleeping soundly over her feet and lower legs, which were still asleep themselves as her numb muscles protested. Amused by the girl and concerned that she might wake her, Serki made small movements trying to both ease out from under her light weight, wake her sleeping muscles and not disturb her. It was obvious that she had been keeping vigil over her at some point.
Serki had almost managed to ease out when the fabric of the bedspread tickled the girls nose and a rather loud sneeze blew her cover as the girl rose up, rubbing her nose and groaning from sleep, in which two very sleepy eyes locked onto her own. A moment of silence and then...
"Oh my, you are awake! Thank goodness!" she exclaimned cheerfully, "I'm Honda Tohru, I am so happy that you are awake at last, Serki-san."
"Umm, happy to met you too, Tohru-san. How long have I been asleep?" she asked befuddled by the girls cheerfulness. How could anyone smile so sweetly and sound so cheerful in a single moment?
"Three days and speaking of that, I need to go call and tell Hatori-san the good news. Excuse me, but he did tell me to tell you not to get out of bed, its best you lie there and relax for a bit." Tohru answered as she rose abrubtly and headed for the door, but before leaving she turned back and gave a quick wave before slidding the door closed.
What just happened? she thought as she stared blankly at the screen door, puzzled by this. What was going on? She'd been asleep for three days? Had anything happened? Were all of the Sohmas still safe? Had things already begun? Her mind reeled question and worry after one another till she felt a little dizzy and decided sitting up wasn't the wised option after all.
"You are lucky to be alive," Hatori scolded as he changed the bandages on her left arm, "How long were you running about with wounds and being in this condition? If its more than a week, even though I am a doctor, I will strangle you. No one should ever push themselves to the point you did. And what happened to my stay in bed order? Are you really like Kyo over there? It was for your own good so I wouldn't have to do this!"
"I couldn't go anywhere for six weeks, my families compound burned down, and no one would help someone who was yenless and I'm sorry, I haven't ever been good at following orders to begin with." she growled back as he continued to change and clean the wound.
A disgusted snort erupted from Hatori as he continued his work.
"Six weeks? Did you not have family outside the compound the night it was destroyed, someone who could have cared for you?" Yuki asked, concern clouding his voice, his eyes disbelieving.
Before Hatori had arrived, Serki had managed to limp into the living room and satisfied her curiosity about her srurroundings. Then Hatori had arrived and upon sight of her had conducted a immediate examination and once satisfied had reverted his attention to her wounds.
"I wish I did, it would have meant someone other than me had survived," she sighed, "Thats why I headed for Tokyo in the first place, the Sohmas were my next best hope. I am really...owww that hurt...grateful that you took me in like this. You didn't have to and you all have taken a great risk by granting me sleeping space on Sohma property. They know one of us escaped and will come and try to hunt me here. You may have been better off..."
"Don't start that crap!" Kyo yelled breaking her sentence, "So what, these men, these real bastards want to kill you becuase you are from the Sadnesan clan and can trasform into a mountain lion? Who cares? I transform into a cat and aSohma. Same with the damn rat in the corner, and you are just at much risk as he or I, or even Shigure over there in the corner. They are the idiots for being so stupid in the first place. So quit! Quit punishing yourself."
"He's right," Shigure added, "We are too hunted now, remember? The Sohma clan has the same danger and could face the same fate your family did. But obviously you traveled here to warn us and help us, how could you help us, had you died, believing you were keeping us safe? Its noble, but not very helpful, Serki-san and really, I think our family could use help over nobility at this point."
Both responses stilled Serki as she considered the words and thought, They care. They really do care about all of this. I was often told becuase of the Sohma influence they could be a bit cold, but this is entirely different from what I have been expecting. I expected to find a cold place and instead found warmth, amazing. And there responses to me have been so much like Kazuo and Masao. Could I possibly hope to find...a home again?
"Everything alright, Serki-san?" Yuki asked as he sat on her opposite side from Hatori.
"I'm alright and I was just thinking and wanted to say, thank you. I'll do what I can to help the Sohmas. I promise on the graves of my clansmen and my honor." Serki replied, smiling for the first time in a very long time.
"Thats wonderful!" Shigure said as he answered her smile, "I'm glad you see things our way. You are more than welcome to stay here in my somewhat wrecked home as long as you like. Just don't break my house anymore than it already is. Not naming a particular, cough, Yuki and ,cough, Kyo. Fair warning Serki, if you hear any crashes around here, most of the time it will be those two."
"Aren't you a little to old for playing tattle tail and whinner?" Kyo growled warningly.