Hehe, like Peter Frampton said in his last album "Like Swartzeneger in Terminator I'm back!" lol. I love that song. Plus I'm kinda on a sugar buzz right now if you couldn't tell. I got my novel done too. That's the main reason why I'm back. Except for a few trivial publication schedule committments, I'm free!

Disclaimer: I've never been good at remembering this but it's obvious blah blah blah... NEXT!

WARNING: BEFORE YOU READ! If ever there was a chapter that I've written that has earned the "R" rating, it's this one! The most polite thing I can say about the final scene is that it is "racy" but saying it's "disagreeable" is an understatement.

So on that happy note: Enjoy!

chapter 6: BIG Lie, small Word

As soon as Clef grabbed my arm I knew I was in for it. "Sorry," Clef said to Maggie. "But we've gotta peel out." He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We've got some errands to run for Mom."

She grinned. "What errands?" she whispered back.

"Shh..." Clef hushed. "Just stuff for a jus''cause reason."

She nodded and giggled. "I'll make something up."

He smiled. "Thanks." He dropped his smile as he turned and dragged me behind him. His nails dug in my arm. "Come on bro. We've got some errands to run!"

He threw me off the landing to the front door. When I turned he swung me around and punched my back. "Walk," he growled.

"Where-"

"Home!"

What roughed his fur? It was his idea! Before I met Umi, he was reminding me how humans could never be trusted. He even made up this bullshit story -pretty much like the relationship between me and Umi- where the girl he was with freaked and he had to get some of the older males to scare her into silence. He had me believing it too! It made his point and I avoided 'meat girls' (those are his words, not mine). Then... sigh The werewolf rule of humans: use them for as long as it suits your purposes -then leave them! That's always been our way. Does he honestly think I WANTED to leave her. By the way, in case you were wondering, no, Umi doesn't know yet. I was doing everything I could to keep my mouth shut and my eyes dry. My legs fought against every unnatural step, feeling the only way to walk was either back to Eagle's or straight to Umi and forget the whole thing for a while- shit! She's still in school right now, at least for the next two hours.

Down two more stretches of sidewalk and we'd be home. Clef stayed behind me, muttering to himself. For me, that's bad! That means: he's really pissed. It didn't take me a split second to know what he was mad about. Check the facts bro! You were the one who warned me about falling for humans. You and Umi have done nothing but try to fuck over the other. You don't respect her. Okay, you called her a bitch once -probably by accident. You don't know a damn thing about her other than what I told you!

Still... tomorrow's going to be hell. At least it'll be Friday. Maybe the worst will pass over the weekend. The worst thing I can do is go back now. I've given my word to the pack. I have to keep that! No crying. Don't even look at her tomorrow. Damn, that's gonna be fucking tough! She'll bite into me after Clef gets his bite. That'll be the make-me-or-break-me point. I don't know what I'll do when I see her cry. I've never been good at lying... Now I have no choice.

This is best Umi. Without me around, Hikaru won't have any reason to come after you. I love you and when this is all over, I'll get you back. Will you understand? I won't be able to tell you. Everything has to run smooth or it'll all blown to hell. Will you know why I left? And then, will you wait for me?

Clef darted in front of me and through the short lawn to the front door. He left it open behind him. I closed it and waited on the inside mat. He was in the kitchen, rummaging for something to drink or break. Finally, empty-handed, he threw a chair back against the wall and sat down.

The clock over the stove ticked away six minutes before he cracked his knuckles and pulled his chair to the table. He interwove his fingers and looked up at me then kicked a chair away from the table. "Sit down," he said.

I was already dead on the inside so what was an ear lashing? I kept eye contact and slowly sat down. He glared at me and clenched his fists, breathing like a bull. Two more minutes ticked off the clock. After cracking his knuckles again, he let out a long breath and closed his eyes for a second. He got a Dr. Pepper from the fridge and popped the tab. He downed half of it before he looked at me again, then downed the other half. Crushing the can, he shook his head.

"Just where do you get off?" he muttered. "You were head over fucking heels for her! I never saw the two of you walk together without some part of you rubbing, touching, or groping -in the rare instance. In gym, I couldn't get you to shut the fuck up! You told me anything you could about her, a lotta times twice. She gave you the bushiest tale any of the pack had ever seen. They all know! Every single -yes! They all know! You suck at lying, always have."

"I'm not lying." I got up and headed for the stairs.

"Yes you are! You're in love and-"

I grabbed my chair and swung it at his head. It smashed into the wall. He jumped to his feet, knocking his chair over, and sunk his claws into the table.

"I'm not in love!" I yelled.

"Bullshit!" he growled.

I grabbed his shirt and yanked him halfway across the table so I could look him dead in the eye. "I'm not in love. I never was."

I couldn't believe how easy those words were to say. Clef's eyes lost a bit of their edge. He was starting to believe it. I'd never been able to look him square in the eye and lie to his face before. Now I just had to drive the point home.

"There! Now the secret's out. It's like you always said isn't it? I had to grow some balls right? Well here's the newsflash: I did! I finally figured out where my loyalties lied." I smirked. "I guess fucking her finally got the thought that I loved her out of my head. She's just a slut."

Insulting a female in front of Clef: Big mistake!

Clef put my head through the table before I could blink. He yanked my head back up through the splinters and rammed his fist down my throat. His knuckles nearly flattened my nose before he sent me flying into the hall. He bounded over the table and was on me in one single leap. He slashed my forehead and I grabbed his shirt and rolled him off over my head. I kicked my legs up and hit my feet as his fist went through the floor where my head was. I turned and his claws were millimeters from my gut.

Two giant hands grabbed him from behind. Reflexed hurled my crooked hand at his head.

Mom swiped me across the back of the head from behind.

I woke up on my bed. My face stung like hell and my skull pounded like the throb of a hangover under bright lights. There was a faint glow in the far corner of the room. Thinking it was Clef, I bolted upright and froze. I moaned softly and slowly laid back down. Pages fluttered together then the book cover closed. The light switch clicked and the light went out. Mom sighed and got up from her chair in the corner. Sighing, she sat on the side of the bed and took my hand in her lap. She tried to smile.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"That's what I want to know," she said lowly. "Maximus wrestled Clef away and I knocked you out. I've done enough damage to him, and you. I'm not going to let either of you so much as point a claw at the other." She gazed down at me with glowing eyes, already knowing but she wanted a confession. "What happened?"

"You were there ma. I'm dumping Umi."

She shook her head. "That's not what I'm talking about." She sighed. "There's something I've suspected about Clef that I've never told anyone."

"What?"

"Do you know what a berserker is?"

"Yeah..."

"Clef is one, but thank the Moon he's a special -rare- case."

I chortled. "Clef? A berserker? Right."

"He broke my arm once, you know? When he was six. It was right after your father was murdered. I went off the deep end, and I was much worse then than what I was a few weeks ago. I took everything out on Clef because he looks so much like your father. You on the other hand, resemble my father. I blamed your father for dying and Clef was the closest I would ever come to him again. I -I had Clef by the wrist and I had just given him his first real thrashing. It's my fault really. I cornered him. His eyes... turned feral. He hissed and lashed out once, just once. He broke my arm." She paused and pointed to the spots just below her shoulder, above her elbow, and two places on her forearm. "Four places, each fractured three different ways. He heard the bones crack. He crumpled to the floor and wept with me in his arms. He swore then that he would never hit again. He's kept that promise, until today." She leaned in over me. "What did you say?"

"The truth," I said quickly. "I told him I didn't love Umi, that I never did. And I don't."

Her eyes dimmed sadly. "He told me that."

"You've already talked to him?"

"Of course, as soon as Maximus brought him back."

"Back? What are you talking about?"

Max looped his arms under mine and locked his hands behind my head. The break in the action cooled my blood a bit. I started breathing slower again and my head cleared. Max had lifted me off my feet, but as much as I hated the big ass I could have kissed him too. Mom was on her knees, wiping the blood from Ascot's broken nose and slashed forehead. Everything got hot and cold at the same time. The blood rushing to my neck made my stomach flip and coil, nearly lifting me off the ground with the urge to tear out of the house. Goose bumps shot up all down my arms. Max dropped me and scooped Ascot up and hurried him up to our room. Mom followed up the stairs and disappeared behind the door.

I stumbled to the kitchen, taking in the hole in the floor and table and the shattered chairs on my way to the sink. I turned and faced the table. The look in his eyes flashed in my mind: wide-eyed and dilated, afraid and dazed. I'd punched him with my right hand but put him through the table with my left. The gagging smell of blood seeped from my hands. My knuckles were coated, heavy and thick with blood. I slapped my hands on my shirt. I had to get the blood off! My brother's blood... my blood. I turned the faucet on boiling and scrubbed my hands. It washed off, but I could still smell it, so it was still there. Out of options, I turned to the butcher block and snatched the parring knife...

I left the knife in the counter top, damage only half done, and nearly took the back door off its hinges. I ran, for where, only the Moon could see. The last thing I remember before Max finally caught up with me was standing at the base of an old Ponderosa Pine and looking up at a second story window. The curtains danced with the nightly breeze and a woman giggled inside.

She came to the window, blue hair streaming.

"Clef loves you more than you know," Mom said. "But he wouldn't have gone after anybody the way he went after you if you hadn't done or said something. What did you say?"

I shrugged.

She sighed. "I didn't raise Clef and I didn't raise you. Caldina did. She taught Clef everything he knows. They share passions, especially in regards to women." She squeezed my hand and got up.

"Where is he now?"

"Downstairs in the den. Caldina's with him. Wash your face before you see him and make sure you get all the blood off." She paused at the door. "And just because a woman -human or wolf- is willing to be sensual doesn't make her a slut."

I laid there for a while, listening to the voices downstairs. Mom and Max were talking, probably in the kitchen. And Caldina was definitely in the den, Lafarga too probably. Finally, I worked my way to the bathroom and washed my face after I made sure my nose was back in one piece. I changed shirts just to be safe and did whatever I could to hide the lingering smell. Then I went down to the den.

Caldina was kneeling beside Clef who had slumped down in the lazy boy. He looked like shit! His right hand was wrapped, almost mummified, padded, and soaked with blood. The bandages stained his jeans.

When she saw me, Caldina got up and went to the kitchen. Lafarga wasn't there after all.

I stayed on the far side of the room, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. So what have you got to say for yourself? Berserker? He kept his head bowed and didn't say a word. I got fed up with waiting and went into the kitchen with Mom, Caldina, and Max.

"Did you talk to him?" Max asked.

"Why?" I snorted.

"Ascot!" Caldina gasped.

"There's no point," I continued. "He's not going to talk."

"Did you even try?" Max asked calmly.

"No!" I yanked the spare chair from the wall and sat down. "He put me through a table. He sliced my forehead into five stripes. And he tried to gut me!"

"He's still your brother."

"So?"

Max stared at me then took a swig of his beer. He leaned back in his chair and contemplated the tabletop. "I never had a brother, but I did have a blood brother once. We got into a fight a few years ago, kinda like the one you had with Clef. It was over a female and we had at it." He paused and rolled up his sleeve. Four, broad, pale scars trailed up his arm. "The son of a bitch nearly killed me. He was a good guy, had a nagging conscience. I didn't let him apologize or anything. I just said good riddance." He rolled his sleeve back down and took another swig. "He turned up dead a few months back." He stopped and stared at me. "He was only my blood brother, not my blood kin."

"What's your point?"

"My point is-"

Someone knocked on the door. I stayed in my chair with my back to the frig.

Clef opened the door.

"Hi-... What happened to you?"

My heart jumped up in my throat and my palms started to sweat. Umi...

"Just a fight," Clef answered. He sounded tired. "Nothing really unusual."

"Is Ascot in?"

Clef sighed. "He's upstairs -but! Wait a minute."

"I want to see him. What did you do?"

"He's fine. He just crashed early that's all. The fight took a lot out of him."

"What'd you fight about?"

"Trivial shit."

Liar!

"Will he be at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah! He's tougher than I give him credit for. He'll sleep it off."

"Okay. Will you give him these then?"

"Sure."

"See you tomorrow."

"Do you want me to walk you home? I'll throw these on the stairs then take 'em up later."

"Sure. I'll wait."

An envelope hit the first step on the stairs and Clef closed the door behind him.

"My blood brother was just like that," Max said. "Your brother's looking out for you."

I snorted and left the table. I snatched the envelope and opened them when I was on my bed. It might be sad to be seventeen and still sleep in a bunk but it was all mom could afford with the mortgage. I sat with my back against the wall and stared at the envelope in my hands. I felt my stomach churning, bile working its way up in my throat. Taking a deep breath, I grew one nail and slowly pried the flap free. There were pictures inside, maybe five or six. I shoved them under my pillow and darted for the bathroom, threw the toilet lid up and puked. I puked up what blood I'd swallowed and whatever else came up.

I finally pulled the handle and shuffled back to my room. I flipped the switch and let the room go dark before I climbed into my bunk. The pictures were still under my pillow. Get the worst over with. You're gonna have to deal with it sooner or later. Or you could give them back to her tomorrow after you tell her. Just don't look at them. My hand searched under the pillow for the envelope. Just don't- I felt it. My stomach was too tired and sore from puking to react. I pulled the envelope out and withdrew the pictures in baby steps. All nudes or close. She'd posed on her bed, surrounded by candles on the floor. I looked through all of them twice then found the note in the corner of the envelope, folded around the last picture.

Ascot, I'm not trying to be a seductress here when I say that I hope these pictures chase away the loneliness anytime we're apart. I missed you today and had to do something. I started drawing to start then flipped through my sketchbook and found this. I drew it that first art class. Remember? Well -you'll think me really weird for this- I started talking like you were there. Things went from there. I wanted to show you... how I feel when you're around. I love you. Umi.

I looked at the picture. She was sitting on her bed in the normal light with her sketchbook open to a double spread in front of her chest. Her eyes were smiling as she blew a kiss to the camera. One side of the spread was my human face, the other my wolf side, all done in graphite with the wolf eyes in green colored pencil.

The door opened and I shoved everything back under my pillow. Clef walked in and stopped in the middle of the room. "How long?" he muttered.

"What?" I scoffed.

"How long are you going to let this go on?"

I growled. "Get off it!"

"I'm not talking about Umi. We've fought before. How long do you want to revel in it?"

I jumped off the bed and knocked him to the floor. "You tried to gut me!" I roared.

"I lost control," Clef said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry!" I grabbed him by the hair and pummeled the back of his neck. Then I jerked him up, grabbed him by the collar, and shoved him against the wall. "You were going to kill me you asshole!"

"You would have dodged."

I plunged my fist into his gut. He fell to his knees and coughed. "Yeah, we've fought before. So what? Do I have to call Umi a slut again before you'll do something about it?"

He slowly stood and looked me dead in the eye with a cold calm. "Look at the whole picture for once." He grabbed my shoulders. "I'm on your side! You want to dump Umi on her ass? Fine! I'm behind you. I walked Umi home so you could have some time to think. How are you going to handle tomorrow? How are you going to tell her? What are you going to tell her? The only thing you owe her now is an explanation. Make it whatever you want! I don't care! Although I doubt it, but if you want me to be there when you tell her. Okay. Whatever you want me to do. I'm on your side! My loyalty is to you and Mom before anybody else. Before Eagle. Before the pack itself! I'm on your side bro."

"Then you tell her. Tell her it's the wolf way to leave humans."

His face paled and he quit breathing. He stared at me for a while before he finally nodded. "Okay. When?"

"Tell her at the end of school. I'll hold her after art until you get there. That way she can go home and cry as long as she wants over the weekend."

Clef's hands dropped to his sides. "Alright."

"You'll do it?"

He raised his right hand and showed me the bloody bandages. "I swear."

I pointed at the bandages. "Are you going to fix that?"

He shook his head. "This is a reminder for me." He sighed and walked to his bunk. He stared at the blood smears on the sheets. Mom hadn't changed them yet. His shoulders stiffened. Finally, he yanked the pillow out of the pillowcase and tossed the case by the door. He furiously tore the blankets and sheets off, leaving the naked mattress. The stench of my blood still wafted from the fibers. He stared at them then slashed the stained patches out and gutted a few of the metal springs. Frantically gathering the debris on the floor, he picked it up and threw it out in the hall then slammed the door. He froze, like a cat that had been caught losing its furry mind.

"It's a reminder," he repeated. He looked down at his hand and clenched his fist repeatedly. I cringed and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Whatever scabs had formed from whatever he'd done to his hand tore loose, ripping the skin and squeezing the blood vessels. The sickening squish was... blah! It was about enough to make me hurl all over again. His face twisted as he curled his hand again. "It's a reminder," he said for the third time. His voice shook. I looked closely at his eyes. Was he crying? He sounded sick and sorry and sad all at once. Before I could blink, he spun. Blood squirted from his bandages as he cracked the doorframe with his fist. He gritted his teeth and sunk to the floor, cradling his hand.

"Are you crazy!" I yelled. "You idiot!"

"It's a reminder... of what I am and what I've done -twice! No, three times! It happened not too long ago, when Mom was in Hikaru's hands and we took her to the witches. I just remember looking up at her in the tree and," he swiped his left hand down his face, "blank. When it happened then, I didn't think much about it. It would have been natural!" He looked at me. "But if you calling Umi, a human -a meat girl- a slut set me off... I-I don't know when it'll happen next. I almost maimed Mom once and now..." Now he was crying. "I almost killed you! My own brother!"

He roared and pounded his fist in the wall. The plaster gave way instantly but the support beam took a little longer to crack.

I could hear the bones in his hand fracturing. He threw his fist harder. "Stop it!" I cried. I slid next to him, grabbed his arms, and pinned them across his chest. "Knock it off. You'll put a hole in the wall you crazy fuck."

He sniffed and panted to catch his breath.

"Besides, this is your power arm bro!"

He chuckled weakly.

"You'll never play again if you keep that up."

"So what? If I never use that hand again on a guitar, I'll never use it to hurt anyone again either."

"That's just it! We both know you aren't worth a damn left handed. We're going to choose a new pack leader here soon. We're both fighting in that."

He growled and threw me off. He paced the room. "Me? Me!" He laughed like a lunatic. "Oh come on! Do you really think once this hits the pack's ears that they'll want me anywhere near the females? Or the offspring? Seriously, a pup starts howling and what do I do? I'll probably backhand the kid!"

"We both know that's bullshit!"

"Is it? You called a meat girl a slut and I go off the deep end! What makes a bawling pup any different?"

I got to my feet and grabbed his shoulders. "There's a BIG difference! You're over reacting."

He grabbed my wrists to throw me to the other side of the room but dropped his hands and listened.

"See? You're not a real berserker. Mom said you were a rare case. You can control it." He cut his eyes up at me. "Yes! You can control it! All those times Mom fed you the Jack Daniel's bottle and tore the ass outta you you took it. You never growled at her or flashed a fang or crooked a claw. When you and Eagle were at each other's throats, yeah you got mad but you never went overboard. You've only ever done what you had to! I deserved it!"

He shook his head. "That's not the point."

"Then what is the point? I don't think even you know. But whatever it is you better figure it out before tomorrow."

"Why? So I can tell Umi for you?"

"No. What do you think the guys are going to say when they see you like this tomorrow? Or at lunch with an empty tray and you flexing your damn hand! I know Eagle will have something to say about it."

He didn't say anything.

I sighed and clapped his shoulders. "Bro, it's cool. Shit happens. I know you won't let it happen again and there's nothing we can do to fix the last whoops."

He raised an eyebrow. "Whoops?"

I shrugged and let go of his shoulders. "Just fix your hand man. Caldina's probably gone by now. Umi won't say anything about it if she sees the bandages are off."

He muttered something I couldn't catch.

"What do you want me to say? I forgive you. It's cool. It's fixed."

"It's fixed," he mused.

"Yeah!"

He sniffed again then wiped his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, that was embarrassing."

I grinned. "Not everyday you cry in front of your big brother."

He cocked his head and flipped me the bird.

I laughed and tried putting him in a headlock. As usual, he weaseled out of my grip and flipped me on my stomach and twisted my arm behind me. Painful, but it was good to have him back!

Dammit! Why did I decide to wait until the end of school? Fridays are supposed to be the major skate day of the week. It was supposed to be even better since I had gym and art, my usual two favorite classes, on the same day. But Clef didn't say anything to me all through gym class. He said in the lockers that he was concentrating for once on the class (just to throw the coach off guard) and thinking about how he was going to let Umi down easy. Easy? He knows all about chicks and he's sweating more than I am! Then at lunch, oh shit... Umi decides she's not going to sit with her girlfriends and decides to come over to our table. She plops down right between me and Clef. She and Zazu immediately hit it off, talking about music and he explains all he can about engines and techy stuff. Eagle cracked more jokes than ever. Umi laughed side by side with Clef until they were both blue in the face. She tried to kiss me and touch my leg, but I avoided that with the "I'm too sore" excuse. I didn't say I loved her. I didn't touch her. I didn't smile. I didn't let my eyes look at her with that mushy expression. I only had one more class to ride out. The bad news for Clef was, none of my hints seemed to make her suspicious. Why would it? We'd had sex only a few days ago. The thought was so painful I could have howled right there on the spot.

I just sat through art. Being one day behind wasn't going to kill me. Besides, the teach is a pushover. He'll let me do whatever I want. He's too busy keeping the pricks in check anyway. Umi sat next to me. The rest of my table went to other places in the room so it was just the two of us alone. Of all days! Why now? She asked if there was anything she could do for me. The shine in her eyes and the slight smirk on her lips made an offer that the sky was the limit. She said she'd massage my shoulders lightly so she wouldn't aggravate any of the bruises. Or... she'd do something else for me later.

I couldn't have been more glad that Clef was going to break the news to her.

The bell rang but I couldn't jump out of my seat. I was "sore" still. What difference would it make? If she didn't suspect now she would when she saw Clef waiting outside.

Teach left the room and I felt my blood run hot. Oh shit! Umi wrapped her arms around me from behind, softly pressing her breasts against my back. She kissed my neck so lightly there was no way I could have complained or protested. Her hand glided across my shoulders as she sat on the desk and smiled seductively. I swallowed. She held my face and indulged me with the softest, hottest kiss I'd ever tasted. Her hand slid down my abdomen to my belt and I abandoned the sore act.

Blame it on reflexes. Like I said, I abandoned the sore act. I grabbed her hips and pulled her down as I pushed my chair back. She gasped and giggled. I groaned and growled as the change came over me a little. She was too used to me now to freak when my nails raked over her skin or when I nibbled on her shoulder. My arm locked around the small of her back and kept her snug against me. She moved her hips and squeezed my sides between her knees. She teethed my neck and shoulder as her hands moved with purpose. My belt and fly were undone before I had worked my way back to her lips. I grabbed one of her hands before she touched me but missed the other. I groaned and grinded my hips against her.

"God I missed you yesterday," she moaned.

I let her hand go and leaned my head back, trying to breathe while her hands stroked. I groaned but it sounded more like a growl. She grinned and bite down on my shoulder as she rolled her torso like an Arabian dancer against my body. She moaned and tried to undo her jeans one handed, thoroughly hot. The tension was too much. I finished first then put her on her back on the desk. She giggled and gasped and clutched me close to her. I withdrew my nails and undid her jeans as quickly as I could without slashing them off her legs. I don't know how I managed to pull my jeans back up. I didn't mess with the belt. I just had to keep separate from her. Leaning down, I meshed her body against mine and slid my fingers between her legs and felt her push against me. I had to end it. Quick! Another few seconds and I'd say "fuck it!" to the whole plan. I went for the money and kissed her one last, fiery time, then grabbed my backpack and bolted for the door.

"Ascot!" she called.

The door hadn't swung shut before her feet hit the floor and her zipper was up again. She darted out of the room and grabbed my arm. I turned toward the stair and saw Clef's feet coming down from the floor above us. Son of a bitch took his dear sweet time!

"Ascot!" Umi said. She jostled my arm and tried to turn me to face her. I wouldn't move. "What's going on? Why'd we stop?"

Clef froze on the step he was on then ran down the last flight. He looked at me with disbelief. Umi stared at him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

I grabbed her arm and dragged her behind me to Clef. "Here!" I said then threw her in his arms. "I'll see you at home." I shot one last look at Umi then slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed for the door.

Umi fired a million questions at Clef. She got her answers from the silence.

Fire one shoe! It struck the back of my head and bounced off harmlessly. Her second shoe hit the wall on my left. Clef must have stopped her but I hadn't heard him move. He didn't even say it! She knew but he didn't say it!

"Fuck you!" Umi howled. "Fuck you!"

"You already did," I said before I could think.

I dashed out the door before Clef did anything. He stayed still. Umi froze. Then Clef followed me, stopping at the door. "Shit!" he grumbled.

"What?" I snapped.

"I forgot my Algebra stuff."

"What?"

"I missed math yesterday, I've gotta catch up on it. You go on ahead, I'll meet you at home." He turned to go back inside then stopped. I held my sideways stare. "Hey," he whispered. "I'm on your side." He showed me his bandaged hand. "Remember? My loyalties are to you first."

I nodded stiffly and watched him go back up the stair, carefully walking around Umi who sunk to her knees. She stared at me, unable to cry.

I turned away before the nausea finally squeezed tears from my eyes for her. I forced my legs to walk until I could look back and be out of sight from the glass doors. Then I pulled my backpack straps securely over my shoulders and took off at a dead run for home.

I doubt I could hate myself any more than I did on that long run home.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I, myself, hated that chapter. I wrote myself in a corner; I admit. That scene between Clef and Ascot wrote itself though. I had a completely different idea of where I wanted that to go but this just played out as if... (cringes) it was meant to be that way. Again, Asmi fans, I apologize. And to the Clef fans: at least I didn't kill him or anything... as I'm known for through Without the Mask.

Reviews please, or hatemail if you'd rather. My rhino skin is pretty thick now so I can handle the flames.

See ya next time!