Chapter 19: 7 Years Gone

Princess Sango

7 years later…

Sachiko cried out when Akito struck her with the whip this time. She's been living in this hell for five weeks. She was only allowed out of her room only when they had her mother's funeral. That was when she cried, and then she was whisked back away to her prison. "You brought pain to everyone cat. You're mother died, your father is depressed and everything."

Tears ran down her bruised her cheeks, "I'm s-sorry."

"Damn right you better be sorry!" Akito straightened out. "Oh, and because I can't find a middle school year 8 tutor, you're to join school again. I'll send you to Hatori; he'll show you how to cover yourself up. After school, you are to come straight here, and do your homework. You have no purpose other than to be my toy now." With that he left, and Sachiko allowed the tears to flow down her cheeks faster.

She remembered her mother, and wished for her now. Sachiko put her hand out in front of her face, but it was so dark that she really could only see the outline of her hand. She remembered her mom's walks to the graveyard, and the way she'd talk about her grandmother, Kyoko Honda. She was a Yankee, that was for sure, but she raised a sweet and nurturing child, her very own mother. She also remembered how hard it was to say good-bye to her.

Flashback

She was sitting down next to her mother, who had not much time left on this Earth. Tears were running down her face as she hugged her mother close. Her mother whispered in her ear, "I will always know how you're feeling, and will always know where you are. Same as your father and I both love you very much." She kissed my cheek and hugged me close to her, and Ayame was pulled into that hug, "Remember, I'm physically gone, but mentally here." She placed a hand on each of their hearts. "I love you all, and no matter what happens, I wish to make the best of everything, even at the worst of times."

"Mommy, so it's like you're going on a vacation right?" Sachiko asked, "Because you're kind of still here?"

Tohru smiled and nodded, "Yes, a very long vacation." Tohru turned to Ayame, "Take care of things while I'm gone." Tohru smiled at both of them, before she yawned, and her eyes closed. Sachiko laid down on her mom's chest, listening to her heartbeat slowly go away. When it was gone, Ayame and Sachiko were crying.

Mom was gone, but she thought that her dad would be able to pull her through. Then the thought wasn't comforting anymore, when Kisa came and got her. Now hope was lost almost.

End Flashback

Sachiko hugged herself close, and more tears fell down her cheeks. Her mom told her to make the best of everything, well the only thing she could think of was her starting school again, and the only bright side to her whole situation. Then another memory popped up, the one of the funeral.

Flashback

Akito made one of the maids dress Sachiko up and remove the bruises from her face, and where ever else they were. The maid was young, and looked at Sachiko in a motherly way. Akito soon told her that the maid that took care of her that day was her maid from now on. Her name was Mizuki, and she always was hugging her and making sure she was well nurtured. She would take her for the weekly walk of sun on occasion also.

When she went to the funeral anyway, Akito took her. When they got to the funeral, there sat her father. She looked at him longingly, and Akito, for some reason pushed her in that direction. She approached him cautiously, seeing the two seated baby strollers she came up to him and pulled on the sleeve of his shirt. Ayame came then, and smiled softly and welcoming at her. Hugging her close, Ayame whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful just like your mother." Sachiko smiled and didn't want to let go. She looked at the stroller and saw the two twins sitting in their seats, so safe. Tears wanted to fall, but none came.

When they were allowed to walk up to the body, Ayame led Sachiko and her twin siblings last to Tohru's body. Sachiko saw her mother's body lying there, and she reached her hand inside it, and found her mother's stiff hand. It was still soft skin though, so she placed her cheek on her mother's cheek and let one tear fall, with a smile on her face, "Thank-you mom, have a great vacation, tell me all about it one day, okay?"

Sachiko gently placed her hand back in the casket and looked at her mom, who looked like she was sleeping, and she kissed her cheek gently, "I'll miss you while you're gone, keep in touch okay?"

Walking away, she held Ayame's hand tightly. When they sat down, Sachiko held onto her father as her life had counted on it all along. Ayame hugged her and rubbed her back gently. Then they had a small party, but Akito wasn't feeling well, so Sachiko was forced to leave with the God. Walking away from her life again was hard, but she refused to cry. When they got in the car Akito sneered, "You're mother had it coming to her. God knows that it was coming, I knew, everyone knew."

I let tears slip down my cheeks, and Akito pretended he didn't notice. When they had gotten home, Mizuki tended to her, allowing her to cry as she washed the makeup off her face, and where ever else it was applied. She hugged me before sending me into the bath, and then after that, she was placed back in that dark room.

End Flashback

Sachiko hugged herself close, and then in came Mizuki. She was balancing laundry and food in her hands. Sachiko stood up and grabbed the clean clothes, and Mizuki was able to stable herself, "Thank-you miss."

Sachiko looked at Mizuki and smiled, "No, you're more helpful to me Mizuki-chan. You may call me Sachiko, as I have said before; the cat doesn't get much honor."

Mizuki's eyes softened slightly, "I'm sorry you feel that way Sachiko, but to me you are not worthless, you are a beautiful young girl, with a whole life ahead of her. In fact, my mother before me watched after a young man, who is now living outside this very room. He is not worthless either." Mizuki sat down and placed the medium sized food tray in front of her, "You need to eat though, or you'll never grow up to be that young woman, so then my own child can look after the next one. My family has been doing this sort of thing for ten generations, if I'm not mistaken. Anyway you better eat up!"

Sachiko sat cross legged, and when Mizuki got up to go, she tried to stop her, "Please don't go. It's so dark and lonely in here. Can you at least stay until I'm finished eating?"

Mizuki looked at the door and back to her mistress, and smiled, "Can't deny an order. Besides, Akito told me to not disobey her or any of your orders, as long as they didn't go against her rules. The rules were to do everything necessary to see that you lived. He didn't say anything else."

Sachiko nodded and started taking baby bites from her food; just some company would make her happy. Soon she'd need light in this room, for homework, but she doubted Akito would give her any luxury other than clothes and food. "Can you tell me Mizuki-chan, who the young man is? Do I know him?"

Mizuki smiled at her, "I'd be glad to tell you, his name was Yuki Sohma. The rat of the zodiac, Sachiko, you should know him."

Sachiko set down her soup spoon, "Are you serious? Uncle Yuki, him?"

Mizuki nodded, "Yes, your uncle is that same person. It's hard to believe he's married and having kids. My mother now lives with me, and she still tells me stories about how she would feel sympathetic towards Yuki-san. Yuki was so innocent, but she had to deal out some of the punishment herself sometimes. I'm grateful I haven't done anything like that yet, it would be so hard to hurt you."

Sachiko gave her a grateful look, "Thank-you Mizuki-chan, I have a favor to ask of you. Do you ever have access to outside this estate, like do you ever leave?"

Mizuki looked at Sachiko with a questioning gaze, "Yes Sachiko, I do leave the estate, why?"

"Well my weekly walk is coming up, and I was hoping to go outside the estate…" Sachiko mumbled, "You know, so I can get used to being in public again."

Mizuki bit the inside of her cheek and turned on the flashlight, looking over Sachiko's pale almost ghostly white complexion, her face being splashed by the purple and blue marks that detailed her face. "I think that's a fine idea Sachiko, I'll bring it up to Akito when I see him tonight. Akito enjoys a report every two days."

Sachiko nodded and relished the man-made light, "Arigatou!" She started eating again, and when she finished Mizuki took Sachiko by the hand and pulled her towards her in an embrace. "Your father gets reports on how you're doing. He's crying every time I tell him something. He's given me a photograph of your mother and grandmother, also a picture of your father and your brother and sister. Would you like it, I know it's really dark in here, and I've been holding on to it for you because you never know what Akito would do."

Mizuki rummaged through her pockets until she found the pictures. Pulling them out, she flashed the flashlight over her mother's picture, and then her mother's, and then her other part of the family that was still alive. "Can you go back over my mother's?"

Mizuki nodded and flashed it back to Tohru's smiling face, the one where she was holding a orange cat, and a rat sat on her shoulder, and a dog had his head on her lap. Sachiko picked it up, "My mother took this a year after she moved into the Sohma house. Only a year later, she was pregnant with me. I miss her so much, I lost her just a short while ago, and it still hurts. That very same day, I was torn away from my family, and never felt appreciated again."

Mizuki tightened her hold on Sachiko, "I love you so much Sachiko and I know I could never replace your mother, but I'll try to give you the love feeling."

Sachiko let tears fall down and Mizuki smiled, "Time for a bath Sachiko. Come on, we'll go to the outside bath."

Sachiko looked at Mizuki, "But it's so cold Mizuki!"

Mizuki laughed, "It's only cold because the wind blows by here, but it's actually quite warm." Sachiko followed Mizuki outside and around the corner to where the maid's bath was. A small cover was placed over the small place, and Sachiko stood close to the heat, and started stripping off her clothes. Her jeans were now really loose on her, and the t-shirt hung off her frame, when she was completely naked you could see ribs starting to poke from where her skin was. Her breasts were so small, that sometimes she could pull of a boy. It would disgust anyone, but Akito.

Mizuki had stripped down also, and both entered quickly. Sachiko welcomed the sunshine and heat. Her room was so cold, and the blanket was so thin. Looking down into the murky water, Sachiko bit her lip and looked at her bruised hands, "I don't like staying here Mizuki-chan, and I want to leave this place. Dad can't leave only Ai and the twins. God could find us, where ever we are. My mom too, I knew what Akito did to my mom, but I couldn't do anything, and saying something would just upset her…"

Mizuki sighed and took a cloth from the basket and soaked it before placing it gently on Sachiko's cheek, but she still winced. "I know it hurts, losing someone, and then being torn away from the people you love. Such a sad life everyone related to the inside Sohma's have to face."

Sachiko nodded and then moved away from Mizuki, before dunking herself under, and then coming back up. "There, no more hurt from touch."

Mizuki sighed, "You still have to clean yourself with soap and water." She pointed out and Sachiko closed her eyes, "It still will hurt either way Sachiko."

Sachiko sighed, "I know…" She gently placed her hands on her chest, "I wish these were bigger though, so I'd fit in with most of the other kids…"

Mizuki giggled, "They'll grow, trust me, and they'll grow."

"When I get out of here right? Sounds like forever to me," Sachiko whispered sarcastically.

Mizuki laughed out loud this time, and then a female and a male voice could be heard, "No, dad said we can't go near here!"

"So Tohru, what's the big deal? I finally know that we have a fourteen-year-old sibling and you expect us to just sit around?" the male voice asked.

"I'm more scared of what Akito would do to dad and Sachiko Kyo! Learn manners, dad was right, you're just like the other Kyo!" the female voice yelled at him.

"Well you're nothing like mom Tohru!" Kyo yelled back.

Sachiko listened closely, and then heard the little girl crying, "Mom died for us, Kyo! How dare you say that!"

Sachiko finally realized who they were, and who they were looking for. Turning back to Mizuki walked over to her, "They're looking for me. They're my siblings, Tohru and Kyo Sohma."

Mizuki's eyes widened, "No way, they're not supposed to be here, even I have heard how those two were told not to come here by Ayame-san! Hold on a sec, I'll go tell them to go home."

Mizuki was about to push herself out of the water, when in came a female. Her hair was brown, and her eyes chocolate, but the small silver streaks in her hair gave away that she was of Sohma dissent. With red eyes and cheeks she looked at them, "Excuse me, my names Sohma Tohru, and I was wondering if you knew the room in which you keep my sister, Sohma Sachiko?"

Mizuki's face softened, because she knew exactly what she wanted to do, but Sachiko's face was horrified. The bruises she wore, and the pale look on her cheeks, she didn't want her to know. "I'm sorry miss, but the sister you are looking for I do not know of, but I do know that if you are caught here, you will be in deep trouble with Akito-sama. He's the only one who knows where she's kept."

Tohru nodded her head, the pig tails in her hair suddenly looking droopy, "Arigatou."

With that Tohru left, and Sachiko let out a gasp of air, "Thank-you Mizuki, but I'm glad that I was able to at least see my sister."

Mizuki smiled, but then in came an enraged little boy, "Where's my sister?" He seemed angry alright, and the look that was in his eyes was a golden gaze. The hair was silver, and had a dark tint of brown. "Akito took my sister away, and I need to find her, just to see her and talk to her."

Mizuki bit her lip, "I'm sorry sir, but I'm just a maid that has no knowledge of where your sister…Sachiko was it, well anyway I have no clue where she is at all."

Kyo turned to Sachiko then, "What about you? You have any idea where she is?"

Sachiko shook her head, pretending to be mute. "She doesn't speak sir."

"She looks like she could be my sister, the bruises, the brown eyes, the long silver hair," Kyo mused, "Only one way to find out." Kyo came up behind Sachiko and hugged her. Sachiko hissed as she felt the transformation take place. The pain drove her crazy and by the time she was in cat form, she felt exhausted.

Mizuki sighed, and took the small cat from Kyo's hands, being mindful of the water, "That was a very disrespectful thing you just did sir. Go take your sister and leave, and I just might have to go to your house to tell your father where you've been."

Kyo glared but did as he was told. After five minutes, passed, Sachiko turned back into her human form. She looked like she was exhausted but Mizuki gave her a gentle scrub down, and then clothed her in a robe. Dropping the clothes into a basket, Mizuki then proceeded to pick her up and carry her to her room. There she clothed her in the warmest clothes she could find, and got out the winter blanket. Placing the pillow under Sachiko's head, she watched Sachiko finally rest, and let herself sleep now.

A week later…

Akito slapped Sachiko's shoulder and then smirked, "Go with your father for orientation, but you're to come straight here after school okay? If you don't, you'll be sorry."

Sachiko bowed to Akito, "Hai Akito-sama…"

Akito smirked, "Good girl, Mizuki take her to Ayame's house." Mizuki nodded and bowed low to Akito before leaving with Sachiko. When they left, Akito fell to the floor gasping for breath, and Kureno came and caught her, "K-Kureno, take me to Ha-tori…" Kureno only nodded and led his master to the doctor's house.

At Ayame's house…

Sachiko put her hair into two long braids on both sides. Knocking on the door to her old house seemed awkward. It's true; Akito stopped beating her only on body parts that were going to be exposed. Her face had almost completely healed, but it was bad enough to the point where she had to wear make-up. When the door opened, she flung herself at her father, "Daddy!"

Sachiko smiled and kissed his cheek, some tears escaping her eyes, "Daddy, I've missed you so much."

Ayame smiled and held her close. Kyo and Tohru came up behind Ayame and peeked to the side of Ayame's legs. Tohru allowed her eyes to look at the teen standing in front of them. "Daddy is that sissy?"

Ayame moved back, his now frail body smiling down at his daughter, "This Tohru is your sister, Sachiko."

Sachiko smiled at her sister, "Nice to meet you Tohru, you look so much like mother."

Tohru smiled at her older sister, "You really think so? I never got to know her…"

Sachiko nodded, "Hai, you look like her alright. You would've liked her." Sachiko kneeled down and scooped her younger sister up into her arms, "It is okay, I'm not going to hurt you."

Tohru accepted the hug, but the reunion was still cut short. Ayame looked at his watch, "We better get going…" Sachiko wished time would stop, right now, no Akito to hold me back. I bit my lip and nodded, how long will Akito allow me to see them now?

Tohru clutched my hand, but Kyo lagged behind. Mizuki had mysteriously vanished, but I just shook it off. Getting to middle school, we saw the reception, and people starting to sit down. Then I spotted a silver glimmer of hair, "Uncle Yuki!"

Someone turned around, and I hugged him close, "Uncle Yuki, I missed you so much!" Yuki stared at his daughter, and blinked, was this the same girl that he saw seven years ago? He hugged her back and examined her, the bruises were covered with make-up, and he could notice the light in her eyes were basically dull, but she seemed truly happy. "Uncle Yuki, is Ai in this same school? How are Aunt Kagura and Kazuki?" The questions seemed endless.

Uncle Yuki smiled at her, and hugged her tight, the daughter he had lost for so long. He had lost her when she was born, now being called uncle, and then again when Tohru died. The heart break was more than he could bear, and for awhile he had gone into a coma. When he woke up, it was two years later, and he had missed a whole story line. Now, here she was again, and later he would ask Ayame if he could pick her up tonight, just him and her. To him, it was like seeing Tohru again, because this was their daughter, the only sign of their love left behind for him, as a gift.

He still remembered Tohru's last words to him. They still hit him hard, when ever he thinks back to it.

Flashback…

Yuki curled up next to Tohru, he held her in his arms, he kissed her warm cheek. She coughed and looked at Yuki with dull eyes, "I love you, and you know that right?"

Yuki nodded, holding her closer to him, "I've always known that."

Tohru smiled, "I guess Sachiko's care is in yours and Ayame's now. I can't do it anymore, and I trust both of you to tell her…when it's time." She coughed up blood, it adding to the already stained sheet, "I tried to make everything right, I really did. Kagura won't have to worry much any longer, she really never had to worry, you were her's."

He kissed her lips one last time and stroked her hair, "I was both of yours, but I had loyalties to Kagura. Tohru, do you regret anything? Us, Sachiko, anything at all?"

"Only some things: that I won't be around when the twins say their first words, that I won't be able to protect Sachiko and watch her grow, and that we never had a chance. Guess I'll see Kyo soon?" Tohru asked, looking at her first boyfriend with deep brown eyes.

Yuki gave her a soft smile, "Yes and when you see him, can you tell him something for me?" Tohru nodded gently, coughing more blood. "Tell him baka neko."

Tohru laughed, but started coughing more blood up, and it took her a few minutes to stabilize. "Only you could say something like that." Yuki smiled at her, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it hard. Then he got up and left, but heard the soft whisper, "I love you."

Yuki closed his eyes, fighting back the tears, "I love you too."

End Flashback

He blinked back tears now, as he watched her enthusiastically start talking to Ai, who was holding her younger brother's hand. Sachiko kneeled down and hugged Kazuki as close as she dared, "I missed you too!"

Ai crossed her arms, pouting now. Sachiko stood up and pulled Ai into a hug and whispered, "Ai-chan, we so need to catch up."

Ai smiled, "How about after school?"

Sachiko's face went gloomy, but then she smiled, "I'm sorry Ai-chan, but I can't do it…for reasons." Ai nodded, but suddenly understood that Sachiko was only back for school, nothing else. It was something that would tease the whole Sohma family. If anyone wanted to see Sachiko, then it would have to be during school, but even then Akito would know.

Sachiko turned to Kyo then and hugged him as close as she dared also, "I'm sorry for what happened back then. I didn't want you to know me yet. I hope I can make it up to you."

Kyo stared at her long and hard, "Yeah, you could come back home."

Sachiko blinked back the tears, because that could never happen. Akito would never allow her out of the God's grasp. Did they know why she couldn't come back; did they know how long she was gone? Standing back up, she looked for the open seats and sat down. Covering her face with her hands, she allowed tears slip down her cheeks. Some of the make up was thinning from the tears, and she knew how much was on her cheeks. Ayame sat down next to Sachiko and hugged her tight.

"Sachiko, I brought you this, it was something your mother told me to give you, when you were ready that is," Ayame whispered, and pushed something in her hands. She took it and opened her eyes, moving her hand away from her eyes, "It's your mother's locket, and I didn't have a chance to give it to you, so what better time like now?"

Sachiko opened it, and inside were pictures of her mom, and other's that somehow could fit inside just one locket. Yuki, Katsuya, Kyoko, Ayame, the twins even, and other people. She closed it and put it on, the heart-shaped locket around her neck. "I was scared, when I was pulled away from you, after mom died, and after everything else. Then, Akito I guess…just made it harder for me," she turned to Ayame, "I missed everyone, the people who would make me feel loved, it hurt so bad. I wished mom to be alive again, so everything could be right again. Just so everything would be right."

Before Ayame could say anything, the principal got up on stage and started to say something. Everyone was seated again, and they listened to what he had to say. When he was finished, school schedules were handed out, and once again they were separated. Sachiko soon found herself sitting in a desk, and she was listening to the teacher going over the curriculums they were going to do. Sachiko didn't care; she was still out of it.

When school ended, Yuki was there for her. She smiled at him, and he hugged her, "Maybe we should go together somewhere?"

Sachiko shook her head, "I can't…Akito said I couldn't. If I disobey at all, I doubt I'd be able to see any of you again."

Yuki took a small wet cloth and wiped off her make up. Under it was black rings under her eyes and the bruises were fading but still there. Her skin was pale, and she looked different without the cover up. Yuki stared and then hugged her close, "I'm sorry, for what Akito's done to you. Your mother, she left you in Ayame and mines care, but I couldn't do anything, either could my brother. I've lost you so many times…"

Sachiko looked at her watch, seeing that five minutes had passed by, and knew that Mizuki would be waiting for her at the gate. "I need to get back to the estate. I need to go meet Mizuki again."

Yuki nodded and they started to walk back to the estate together. Sachiko brought up something though, something very touchy, "I heard you were raised the same way as me."

Yuki seemed taken aback, but answered, "Yes, I was raised that way, but I guess it runs in the family."

Sachiko cocked her head, "Mom and Dad weren't raised that way too were they?"

Yuki winced, and luckily they ended up at the Sohma Estate. "Sachiko, before you go meet Mizuki, your father and I are going to tell you something soon. It could change your outlook, but, now is the time. We promised your mother we would, and we're going to follow through with it soon. Sachiko be safe."

With that, Yuki walked away from her, and Mizuki was trying to talk to her. Sachiko wasn't listening though, she was wondering what that promise could be. Hell was going to freeze soon also, but nothing would happen until they all moved forward together.

TBC…