Because I'm in a rush, I'll skip the review replies. Sorry guys. I'll just go straight to the chapter. n.n

CHAPTER SEVEN: Faint

She had had it with him! She stomped outside and began screaming about what he was doing and how he was treating her. He used to be kind. Then he was a little abusive. Now he's either abusive or ignoring her.

Ichigo began running away from his cold, dark house.

Masaya Aoyama had made like miserable for Ichigo. They'd been going out for YEARS and he slowly changed a little at a time. As he changed, he also changed her.

I am—

A little bit of loneliness

A little bit of disregard

Ichigo had quit her job at the Café and hadn't seen any of her friends in a long time, so she figured she'd go there. But she had no car and she lived seven miles away from the café. She sighed and started to make her way there.

Handful of complaints

But I can't help the fact

That everyone can see these scars

As she walked slowly down the street with her red head down, letting her dark red hair fall into her face, people began murmuring about her as they always did. She was used to it by now and was by no means fazed by it. She knew everyone knew what Masaya was doing to her. She had proof too: there was a huge scar on her wrist where Masaya had cut her when she did his laundry wrong.

I am—

What I want you to see—

What I want you to feel

Ichigo finally realized what Masaya was doing and that's when she left. She tried to change him back to the way he was by changing herself, but she just got beat.

"Ichigo-chan!"

Masaya.

Ichigo knew what was coming. She had tried to run away again. She would get beaten once he forced her home. She had tried to leave home before, and it always led to a beating.

"Ichigo-chan! Where are you going?" Masaya's voice was kind now, but he would turn into a tyrant the second she was out of anyone else's sight. That wasn't going to happen anymore. Ichigo was sick of it.

"I'm going home!" Ichigo shouted back. "To Ryou and his ego, to Minto and her sarcasticness, to Purin and her acrobatics! I'm LEAVING!"

"Ichigo! Come back here NOW!"

He stopped using the suffix. She was in trouble. She kept walking.

But it's like no matter what I do

I can't convince you

To just believe this is real

Ichigo's hair got wet. She stopped walking and put her hand on her head. Droplets. She looked up. It was raining.

"Ichigo," Masaya had caught up with her and clamped a hand on her wrist. "Let's go home."

"NO!" Ichigo screamed, pulling away with all her might. "I WON'T GO BACK WITH YOU ANYMORE! LEAVE ME ALONE! I'M GOING TO THE CAFÉ!"

Masaya's hand rose into the air quickly and swiftly, making Ichigo turn away and flinch. His hand didn't come down after a while though, so Ichigo slowly looked back.

WHAM!

Masaya's hand came down upon Ichigo's face countless times. She took them time and time again, crying out each time she was struck.

When Masaya finished, he looked at her kindly.

"Now, will you finally come home? Or do you need more encouragement?"

Ichigo stopped resisting to him once again and decided to give up. Masaya turned around and began to walk off, expecting her to follow. Instead she turned around and began running away once again.

So I—

Let go watching you.

Turn my back like you always do.

Face away and pretend that I'm not:

But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I got

I have to run faster than this! Ichigo thought, terrified. He'll catch up to me!

Ichigo began to run as fast as any legs could carry anyone. She had no clue where she was going, but she knew that it would be alright as long as she was away from him. The rain just fueled the reasons to run.

Ichigo heard something coming up beside her. It was a car, driven by Masaya. He was too persistent.

"Get in the car, Ichigo." He growled. Ichigo had to run somewhere else, where a car couldn't follow. To the drop-off! There were plenty of hiding spots there, too. She ran on top of the grass, ruining her perfect shoes.

I can't feel

The way I did before.

Don't turn your back on me.

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Ichigo searched in her pockets for the one thing that might save her, but she had deactivated him long ago. Masha.

"Masha-kun, come out, please!" She whispered while running. She found Masha in her jacket pocket, deep in the back. The poor guy had dust on him that made him too a dull pink instead of his old shiny pink.

"Wake up, Masha!" Ichigo flicked the tiny thing, making it spring to life.

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Taller! Taller!" It shouted, nuzzling the cat girl, her ears and tail now out and stiff.

"I missed you too Masha, but right now you have to help me."

"Help! Help!"

"Turn on Shirogane's communicators. I have to talk to him."

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Wound! Wound! Hurt?" The cute thing asked, sitting on Ichigo's wrist.

"No, I'm alright, just please contact Ryou! And maybe the Mews if they still have their pendants." Ichigo pleaded.

"Contacting! Contacting!"

Ichigo sighed, it was only a matter of time now before someone would help her. She stopped at a fallen tree, sitting down and resting, convinced that Masaya didn't follow.

"Ichigo! Come back here!" Masaya's voice carried towards her. He had gotten out of the car and ran after her in the woods! Ichigo screamed and jumped over the log.

"Hurry Masha!" She shouted to the pink fuzz-ball, which was in Ichigo's pocket.

"You're just making it worse on yourself!"

Time won't change

This damage anymore

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Ichigo scrambled up a tree before Masaya could see her. She watched him dart past her, and sighed of relief.

"Beep…. Ichigo?" Came a scared voice. Ichigo identified it as Minto.

"Minto!" Ichigo shouted. "Is everyone with you?"

"Yes, we are." Zakuro's voice traveled.

"Thank goodness! Please help me! I'm in serious trouble!" Ichigo dropped from the tree and quietly walked along the woods. "It's life or death situation."

"What's wrong?" Ryou sounded worried. "We haven't heard from you in so long, we were going to come and kidnap you away from Aoyama-kun."

"I've been trying to get away, but I'd always get caught. And now I think if he finds me I'll—" Ichigo stopped. Something tapped her shoulder. She turned around and gasped.

"….Ichigo? Ichigo? Are you there? Ichigo? Ichigo!" Keiichiro shouted.

"Answer Ichigo!" Retasu's voice cried.

"You'll what, no da?" Purin's small voice asked.

Ichigo couldn't move. She was staring death in the eyes.

"Aoyama-kun…." She murmured.

"Mews, find her!" Ryou cried. The sound of footsteps clogged Masha's voice and a door slammed shut as the Mews left. "Ichigo, I'm here. Keep talking, we'll find you."

"Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo shouted, turning and running. She was once again being hunted by the man she used to love.

I am—

A little bit insecure,

A little unconfident

'Cause you don't understand

I do what I can

But sometimes

I don't make sense.

She was going to die, that was it. She knew Aoyama-kun wouldn't ever let her live now. She'd defied him too many times.

"Aoyama-kun!" She kept shouting, puffing as loud as she could.

"Ichigo! Is Aoyama-kun after you?" Keiichiro's voice tried to calm her, but she couldn't respond.

"Aoyama-kun!" She still shouted.

She came to an abrupt stop when she ran into the drop-off. It was a huge cliff with fog over the whole thing, so no one knew if they were going to step on ground, or nothing. The rain on her head was fresh now that she was out of the woods, and it made the place foggier.

"No," Ichigo gasped.

"No what?" Ryou asked.

"Well, looks like someone has come to a stop," Masaya's evil voice accompanied a body out of the woods. "Looks like the end of you."

"Aoyama-kun," Ichigo whispered. He lunged at her.

I am—

What you never want to say,

But I've never had a doubt.

It's like no matter what I do,

I can't convince you.

For once just to hear me out.

"Stop! Aoyama-kun, please stop!" Ichigo screamed as she dodged his fists. "Just hear me out!"

"Why? So you can return to defy me once more?" Masaya asked, lunging again. This time he hit her. She flew backwards and hit a tree.

"I didn't mean to, but you keep hitting me, I was scared!"

So I—

Let go, watching you.

Turn my back like you always do.

Face away and pretend that I'm not

But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I got.

"You can't just let things be the same, can you, Ichigo?" Masaya sneered, coming at her again.

"I can't let things be the same? You've changed so much; I've fallen out of love with you!" Ichigo screamed, falling to the ground and rolling out of the way.

I can't feel

The way I did before.

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Time won't change

This damage anymore

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

"Did you ever care?" Ichigo whimpered. "Did you ever love?"

She dodged another punch.

"Once, for about a second." Masaya admitted.

No.

Hear me out now.

You're gonna listen to me

Like it or not

RIGHT NOW—

Hear me out now

You're gonna listen to me like it or not

RIGHT NOW!

Ichigo decided she was going to die if she didn't do something.

"I can't feel like I did before. You've damaged me too much. But now I won't be ignored!" She shouted, lunging at Masaya now. Their hands locked and they began thrashing about and trying to throw the other one off. All Ichigo wanted to do was to get him on the ground and unconscious so he'd leave her alone. She'd wait until the other Mews got there before she did anything else.

I can't feel the way I did before—

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED!

I can't feel

The way I did before.

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Time won't change

This damage anymore

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

I can't feel

The way I did before.

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Time won't change

This damage anymore

Don't turn your back on me

I WON'T BE IGNORED.

Ichigo let go of Masaya's hands and kicked him in the stomach, making him fly backwards.

He didn't land.

He fell through the fog, screaming as he went. Ichigo stood there, drenched, holding her hands at her mouth to keep from throwing up, trembling, and terrified.

I'm a murderer, She thought. I killed him!

THE END!

So, this one was a little quick. n.n Will Ichigo-onee-san be accused of murder? It IS an angst ficcie, so anything can happen! I was thinking this would make a good story. I might make this it's own story.

Just so you know, the next chapter is Welcome To My Life from Simple Plan. I love them!