Chapter 12

"Well, I helped Yuki into bed so he's resting now…" Tohru walked back into the living room where Kyou was sitting quietly by himself against the wall he leaned on when Jesi left at least 30 minutes ago. She paused and looked at him, wondering what she should say or do. Avoiding a panic attack, Tohru started toward the kitchen saying, "Are you hungry? I'll make you some dinner."

"No." Kyou simply replied, still staring at his lap. Tohru froze in mid step, too afraid to look at him.

"Th-then I'll make some tea."

"No."

"Do you…want me to leave you alone?" Finally, Kyou looked up at her and in all seriousness, said, "Never." Kyou rose to his feet, walking slowly toward Tohru, hearing her heart pounding a mile away.

"N-never? What are you saying? I couldn't possibly be with you 24/7, I still have to make meals and wash clothes and go to work so I can't be with you all the time!" Tohru stuttered, backing up as fast as Kyou advanced on her, quickly running out of fleeing space and hitting the wall.

"Tohru…" Placing his hands on either side of Tohru, Kyou looked deep into her eyes and said, "You should know better than anyone that love never leaves you alone…no matter how far you travel apart over land or life…it's always there…forever." A single tear rolled down Tohru's cheek, her body refusing to stop Kyou as he leaned toward her…her heart racing to meet Kyou halfway and acknowledge its own hidden desires. Nothing stopped them, nothing could stop them…nothing ever stopped them…ever again.

((((((((( oo )))))))))

Yuki lay staring at his ceiling, deep in thought as to who Jesi meant, who it was that loved him so much. It couldn't be anyone in his fan club, could it? And certainly no one from his family, that was for sure. Turning, he looked to see a cell phone sitting on his desk just outside his backpack, as if it had slipped out when he dropped it there long ago.

A cell phone? I don't have a…wait, I remember…I used it before class ended a couple days ago to call Shigure about something. Whose was it? But he didn't have to ask that question; he already knew the answer. It was her, the one Jesi referred to when she told him not to be afraid. With a sharp breath, Yuki reached for the phone and dialed a number quickly. Putting it to his ear, he waited while it rang until a soft voice answered on the other end.

"Um, hi, I think I have your phone, Machi…"

May you find the courage to love the one who loves you…

((((((((( O )))))))))

"I stood by and watched you destroy him last time, I was the one who saved his sight from disappearing forever so that he could still see what life was worth living for. Too many times have you used him for your own selfish means, well…it ends now." Jesi slapped Akito with all of her might, knocking him to the ground in a flurry of fabric. With a hiss, she continued, "You tortured him, convinced him it was his fault this happened, brainwashed him into thinking that love only ended in pain and suffering. No more! No more lies!" She swiftly kicked him in the stomach, sending him tumbling across the floor into a desk, causing it to shake violently enough to disturb a vase off onto the floor. Akito staggered weakly to his feet, the fire in his eyes burning brighter than any blaze known to man.

"How…how dare you pass judgement on me! You relentlessly tortured my Hatori and turned him against me! I have done nothing but love him and protect him from those who would do harm to him!" Akito screamed dramatically, leaning against the desk for support.

"Do you really believe what you're saying? You must be seriously messed up to even think for a moment that what you're doing is helping! Do you call THAT helping?" Jesi motioned to Hatori, struggling to breathe and hold onto life.

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Akito rationalized, looking quite content with his actions.

"And now so must you. I'm going to do what my ancestors before me should have done a long time ago!" With a quick turn, Jesi's leg shot up and caught Akito square in the ribs, sending a pain through him that couldn't even be expressed in screams. He fell back, stunned by the blow, and sprawled over several scattered sheets in the room; he looked like he had fallen into a see of his own blood as the sheets were a bright red color, vibrant against Akito's pale white skin. Jesi advanced quickly and grabbed him by the neckline of his kimono, bringing him back up to eye level long enough to thrust her knee into his stomach before throwing him back to the ground. With a fit of coughing, blood splattered on the ground in front of Akito in wads of saliva, slowly staining the blankets as a testament to the battle ensuing. Gasping, Akito tried to crawl away to safety, calling out for help in a raspy voice that no one could possibly hear outside the room. There was no mercy in Jesi's eyes as she followed her prey across the floor, giving him a false sense of security when he reached a bottle lying nearby. In a desperate attempt to fight back, Akito swung the bottle violently at her leg. But Jesi saw it coming and kicked it clean across the room where it smashed into the wall and fell to pieces.

"What's it like…having no one to defend you when you're down? No one to care about you, it must be awfully lonely facing death without a single shred of redemption." Jesi taunted, her hands on her hips as she looked down at him like a disobedient child.

"S-so what are you…going to…do, k-kill me?" Akito laughed, ending in another coughing fit. She clucked her tongue at him as she shook her head, saying almost mockingly, "Oh no, my dear Akito, that's too good for you. You know the old saying: an eye for an eye? Well…I'm going to do to you what your ancestors did to mine centuries ago…" Akito's breathes came faster as he tried to push himself away, whispering his refusal as he looked wildly around for a way out. But it was too late, Jesi pinned him down and began to rip his kimono off violently, ignoring the screams he emitted all the while. Hatori woke from his unconsciousness, the screams filling his ears like sharp knives he knew all too well. Sitting up quickly, Hatori stared in shock at the terrifying display of flying clothing and flailing limbs. His heart pounded as his voice left him, unable to find the strength to defend the very person whom ruined his life so many years ago. All the years of being forced to take care of Akito built up so much resentment and hatred that there was nothing left inside Hatori's heart, the sight almost brought a smile to his bloodied lips. The banshee like shrieks carried far out into the house and all over the estate, startling any who were near enough to hear it and flee. Close to the house, Haru sat in his room with Momiji as they tried to ride out the storm together.

"Haru…I'm scared…" Momiji whimpered, clinging to Haru's shirt as he shivered, the bone chilling screams setting Goosebumps all over his skin. Even Haru was frightened by the sounds as he held Momiji and whispered, "It's…for the best…for everyone."

For all our hopes and dreams…

All the years of prideful neglect poured out of Akito in tears and sweat, everything he had leaving as quickly as his dignity fell. Everything was cold to him now; even the deep pits of ice blue lakes that were Hatori's eyes…especially Hatori's eyes. No amount of reaching out and begging could entice him to come to the rescue this time, not for him, no one would save him. It seemed like hours, years even, that the torrent of pained bawling carried on but just when it seemed unbearable to listen to anymore, it ceased. The entire house felt the wave of power that left them, the power over all of them was no longer present and Hatori rose from his prison of blood.

"Jesi…you can stop now…" Hatori slowly sunk to his knees next to Jesi, his eyes filling with tears as he said, "Your ancestors have been avenged, it's over…"

"Is it really…Hatori?" Jesi panted, her eyes still locked on the mess of black hair.

"Yes…come away with me." Hatori gently put his arms around her, pulling her off of the body beneath her and into his arms where he held her tightly. They got up together, still holding on to each other as they looked down one last time before leaving the room and the past behind them…forever. They had done it, something that no one had been able to do before them, they had conquered their fears and rose to meet their destinies with all that they had. They challenged the greatest obstacle known to them and defeated it for everyone to follow. They won the only things that mattered the most to them, that made all the world of difference…truth, beauty, freedom, and…most of all…love.

The End.