Devil on the Doorstep

Well, I think everybody knows I am evil now lol… Enjoy the next chapter whilst I hide!

Devil on the Doorstep; Chapter X: By Myself

"SQUEEE!" Kai smirked as Bryan was knocked back by a red blob.

"Umm… sorry Bryan, Jo's been desperate to see you." Suzy smiled at the two boys warmly. "And I must admit, I've been looking forward to seeing both of you." Kai met Johnny's angry stare with an impassive one of his own.

/Glad to see you, little Red// Bryan kissed the top of her head.

/Can I call you Amethyst// Jo giggled.

/Amethyst… sounds like a girl's name. / Bryan wrinkled his nose.

/Then, can I call you Ame? You call me Little Red. /

/I could call you half pint, if you really wanted// Jo giggled silently and, thumb in mouth, fell asleep, leaning against Bryan.

"Can I talk to you?" Suzy asked quietly.

"You already are." Kai said, equally quiet.

"No… in private." Suzy flushed as Kai looked up sharply. Kai nodded and told Max to keep an eye on Bryan, and then he followed Suzy out into the corridor.

"What did you want to talk about?" Kai asked awkwardly.

"I… I saw what you did, at the fire. How are your hands?" Suzy took Kai's wrists gently, looking at them.

"They're ok…" Kai coloured slightly.

"You were really brave."

"It was nothing. I bet you'd have done it if it had been Jo, or Johnny in there."

"Don't downplay it, just because you're embarrassed! I – I… I think you deserve a kiss." Kai blushed as Suzy kissed him on the cheek. Dad, what do I do now? Argh! Mum? Anyone? It's times like this when I wish I wasn't so dysfunctional!

"You were brave in there… You saved a lot of people when you used your bit beast… Nobody would have been able to get to the door otherwise…" Kai swallowed. Suddenly, his mouth was dry. "I think… I think that deserves a kiss as well…" Suzy looked down, and Kai lifted her chin. Slowly, their lips met in a brief, chaste movement. Suddenly, Kai felt a blinding pain on his cheek and he was thrown to the floor.

"HIWATARI!"

-

I put on my daily façade but then, I just end up getting hurt again…

-

Robert and Lee were struggling to hold back Johnny, who was furiously trying to get at Kai.

"How dare you touch my sister?" The red head was roaring. He pulled himself out of the grip the two boys had on him and launched himself at Kai, but something – someone – got in the way and sent Johnny careering into the wall.

Bryan had been taught fighting, but he knew that boxing would not be any use – it would merely be a hindrance, all that below the belt nonsense. So he was street fighting, the way he used to at the Abbey. He was slamming punches into the red head, and the red head was finding it difficult to retaliate, when Lee waded into the fight and grabbed Bryan's arms.

"Whoa! Come on Bryan, it's me, Lee." The neko-jin winced as Bryan turned on him. There was madness in those eyes, and it was scaring Lee to how desperate the Russian was.

"Jonathan Andrew McGregor!" Suzy yelled. "I'm old enough to take care of myself!"

"Shut the hell up, Suzannah!" Johnny replied crisply. "You should have realised that that perverted Russian would have tried to take advantage of you!"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, McGregor, because I'm not Russian!" Kai staggered up and hugged Bryan to him, feeling the older boy shake.

"Whatever." Johnny grabbed Kai's shoulder and threw him off Bryan, who rose so the two of them were standing eye to eye.

"Keep to your own business, Johnny." Bryan growled, pushing a lock of his silver hair out his eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Johnny grinned sadistically. "And you would know a lot about that. Mind you, I guess I don't know what you're going through. After all, my friends didn't die."

"What?" Bryan gasped, swaying slightly.

"Doesn't it strike you as a bit odd that they chucked you out and then died? Sounds a bit… rehearsed." Johnny's grin grew bigger as Bryan realised what he was getting at. Suddenly, the sound of the helicopters began to appear in Bryan's ears. He dropped to his knees, clutching his head. "You have no friends! Your so called friends DIED to get away from YOU!" Bryan was screaming as he could hear the screams of pain. Kai flew over to Bryan, stroking his hair and rocking him gently.

"How could you, Johnny?" Max never got angry, but he was angry now. "We've been trying to get Bryan to calm down for days, and he was getting better! Now you've triggered a relapse, who knows what state he could be in?" Johnny shrugged, a smirk on his face.

Kai gently lifted the shaking boy, bridal style, and carried him to the bedroom. Bryan was shuddering as Kai laid him down. The Indonesian pulled the covers over Bryan and watched the shivering form as he fell asleep.

-

Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness, or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness…?

-

"Thank you Seth. I have been wondering where these four were hiding." Voltaire Hiwatari stepped from his hiding place.

"You… We trusted you!" Ian yelled in horror. Seth kept silent, the mask hiding his emotions.

"You need to decide, what side you're on!" Kasi screamed as the guards dragged them away.

"You've made your choice, Hiwatari." Spencer said in a low voice as Seth passed. "You've betrayed us twice now, when we next see you, we will treat you as an enemy."

Seth nodded silently and walked away, his velvet cloak flying around his slim figure.

-

If I turn my back, I'm defenceless, yet to go blindly seems senseless…

-

Heeeeee…. Gotta love the squee! And Bryan is going to get much worse… sorry about that!