Sorry for the extremely long pause between stories. I had the chapter written and was going to send it in to my beta when I forgot to and then it faded away...you people have to remind me! So this is the last chapter where I will respond to reviews in them!

Double-Z- I'm so glad that you liked the chapter and I'm trying to get the rest to be just as good.

Tallulah- THANK YOU! Hee hee...you are the best!

Chapter 9

(Masago)

The overwhelming need to blow chunks was what I woke up to, and I barely managed to keep down the contents of my stomach. Sitting there, I fought the disorientation that plagued me; it was like I had the flu. Everything was slightly distorted; I felt horribly woozy and nauseated. The bile was worming its way up my throat and I had to concentrate to fight it down as I ached all over.Panting, I closed my eyes as I fought to regain normality. I shifter to relieve pressure, I felt the world spin around me.Drawing in a quick breath my stomach rolled and I almost vomited.Behind my eyes a headache was beginning to pound, adding to my agony.

Peeling my eyes open, I slowly took in my surroundings, and was unable to fight down rising hysteria. I wasn't in my apartment. Slowly I lowered my head until I could see what I was wearing, silently praying that it would bemine andin one piece. Part of my wish was granted. The t-shirt I wore wasn't mine, but it was in one piece; across the front in big bold letters was the name of a band thatI didn't know.

"Where am I?" I whispered tearfully. I had been drugged, that much was obvious, but had anything else happened? I didn't think so, but I couldn't be sure. The last thing I remembered was music and people, lots of people.

"Good morning," a rough masculine voice greeted me. I whipped my head to seewhere it had come from and instantly knew I had made a mistake. Desperately,I ripped the covers off and leapt out of bed, but hit the ground and spewed sludge all over the floor. Moaning, I tried to get away from the puke that was seeping into the big t-shirt and pooling around my legs.

"Hell." I was lifted up and carried across into what turned out to be the bathroom. "What'd they give you?" It was obviously a rhetorical question, but that didn't stop me from shrugging. Carefully I was set down and I heard someone turn on a faucet, wearily I closed my eyes.

"Do you know what happened?" I asked hoarsely.

"All I know, Masago, is that you got drugged and I was the only thing that stopped you from being raped." The guy's voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who he was. "Your brother is probably worried sick about you."

Opening my eyes ever so slightly, I gazed at the guy who had saved me andwas nowpreparing a bath for me. He had shaggy black hair, a long, lean look to him and slightly tanned skin.

"Akira?" I used his given name instead of his last. It rolled off my tongue thoughtlessly and I instantly regretted it. What if he thought me to forward?"How did you know I was there?" He turned to look at me, and his calm black eyes searched mine.For a moment I couldn't breathe.

"Kiyo told me, she said you were in trouble." He swept me up and settled me into the tub. The water was just the right temperature and the warmth sank into my bones, turning me into putty. Sighing softly, I sank lower into the water; it was heavenly. "She told me where you were, so I went and got you."

Kiyo, Kiyo, Kiyo. I scowled at the water. I didn't want to think about her and her thoughts about me being Akira's "savior." Flicking the water absently, I watched it make ripples. Suddenly even that slight movement became too much and I let my hand sink under the water as my body turned leaden. The water smoothed out, nothing disturbed it, but underneath it, shapes began to move. Randomly they flowed and slid around until they all came into focus, slowly pulling me toward them, into their world.

Hands slid over my body. Over my hips, up to my arms and out until they clasped my hands in their own. Calluses rasped against my palms as lips brushed over my ear. I felt at peace even though my gut told me something bad was about to happen. The world around me was blurred and unseen to me.

"Hey Sago, you remember Kiriya right?" I was in another place, lounging against a wall, watching Yuki speak to me. "Well he's going to join - "

"Let's dance, asshole!" Akira's voice was harsh with anger and I saw him, his black hair blowing away from his face as he aimed—

"They're coming, Sago," Katashi told me, his face etched with worry.

"GET DOWN!"

Flames jumped around me and licked at my flesh as I screamed for –

"Don't leave me!" I was screaming. Sobbing, terrified for someone, someone dear to me.

"Masago!" Raiden bellowed, reaching out for me.

"Masago!" I was twirled around by Yuki.

"Masago!" Takeo hugged me.

"Masago!" Kiriya was shaking me violently.

"Huh?" I managed to make eye contact with him while my body screamed for rest. I was so tired. Visions always drained me. Fatigue blurred Kiriya's face as I hung between his hands that were grasping my upper arms.

"What happened? You were completely gone therea second ago!" Another sharp shake, but I was too far gone. Darkness called and I succumbed.

(Akira)

"Masago!" I shook her roughly, but the only response I got was her head lolling to her other shoulder. Growling low in my throat, I quickly and impersonally finished washing herand then hauled her limp body out of the tub. Pulling my shirt off of her, I dried her off and struggled to get her into another shirt. Though I tried hard to avoid looking at her while she was unclothed, it was rather difficult. She did have a nice body. Mentally smacking myself, I settled her back into my bed.

"Kiriya!" Someone was pounding on my door and yelling. Turning away from my fragile charge, I hurried over to the door and opened it. There stood Yuki; his chest was heaving and he was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

"You're looking for your sister, right?" I asked, stepping back to allow him entrance. "I found her at a club last night; I didn't have the chance to contact you."

"Thanks." Yuki rushed past me to where Masago was unconscious on the bed. He dropped down next to her and brushed the soaked strands of hair plastered to her face away. Gently he picked up one her hands in his and with his other reached out and touched her cheek.

"Sago, Sago, it's time to get up now," he whispered.

"She went into some sort of trance and then collapsed," I quietly informed him as I crouched down next to the bed. "I tried to wake her up, but she's out cold."

Ignoring me, Yuki continued to softly call to his sister. He let go of her hand and used his fingertips to massage her temples. I didn't understand how this was supposed to wake her up, if anything I thought it would put her even deeper into sleep.

"MASAGO!" hebellowed abruptly right in her face as he clapped his hands together with a resounding sound. Not surprisingly,Masago's eyes cracked open to wearily look around.

"Wha?" she slurred.

"Are you ok?" Yuki asked. "Do you feel up to riding?"

"Had…a…vision…" she mumbled almost incoherently. "…'Kira…"

"Sago," Yuki sighed in frustration. "Can you ride?" She lay there for a few seconds thinking about it.

"No…sleep…" She then slipped away from us into the waters of sleep.

"Do you mind if I stay here?" Yuki looked at me and I shrugged.

"Makes no never-mind to me," I told him as I straightened up.

"I was talking to Akeno and he says you're a real good biker," Yuki beganas he pulled a blanket over Masago.

"I'm decent. I can ride just as well as the next guy." I retreated to an old couch across the room.

"No need to be humble," Yuki said with a chuckle. "But as I was saying, he said you were a good biker and we're short one." There was a pause. "If you ever want to join, the offer is open to you. If you were to join, it would be nice if you could kind of keep an eye on Sago, she's a little reckless and she needs a partner so Katashi can get back to training Gosan."

"So you want me to join so I can baby-sit your sister?" I demanded incredulously.

"She's been acting strange lately," Yuki muttered. He looked to the side for a second as he thought. "Her whole life – all that we've known her – she has what she thinks are visions of the future. She believes she can read other people's minds, and sometimes it seems like it, but… it's hard to say. She'sbeen weird and vulnerable for the past couple of weeks and I'm worried for her. She won't let me help her and she would hate having anyone tail her."

"Then why do you want me to?" I watched the older teen cautiously. I didn't want to get in the middle of some family fight, and I knew from experience that they could get real nasty.

"If you join, you'll have to be trained, and she's the one of the best, she's the one who helps train the newbies." Yuki explained. "You don't have to answer right away, just think on it."

Sinking further back into the couch, I began to try and sort out my thoughts. There was something about Masago that made me want to stay near her, to protect her; though she seemed like she was trouble at the same time. She had the same kind of abilities as my family. I knew she was fun to be around and there was this little voice in my head screaming for me to just say yes. But if I was in the gang, there was no guarantee that I would come home every night. I would have to hurt people. Rely on predatory skills and go with what I hated. Could I do that?

Annoyed, I glanced at Masago. She had moved around some during our discussion and was now sprawled across my bed. Within me, something clenched. She had survived most her life in the style I was considering. She had risked herself many times.Would I be able to stand back and let her to continue doing that once I began to see what she did?

How would I feel if I said no? Would I ever see her again? If I said yes I would see her 'most every day. If I said no, she'd never know, but what she had spoken to Kiyo about had alienated her. If I went with this, I might be able to find out what that had been about. On the other hand, she might come to resent me for encroaching upon her territory.

"I have to tell the others that I found her." Yuki broke into my thoughts. "I'll be back." He meandered out the door and I moved over to where my torment was lying. She twisted in her sleep, her brow furrowing. Reaching out I lightly touched the grooves in her forehead, and she relaxed, murmuring something. Watching her, I knew what my decision would be. All I had to do was tell him.

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