Always There

Chapter 3: Grudges

Yuka stopped short of the bathroom, taking a moment to try and calm herself down. Although she was upset and angry, she couldn't risk alerting Nyuu or even Maiyu and Nana for that matter to the fact that her and Kouta were fighting. The last thing she wanted to do was to destroy the happy, carefree and most of all peaceful household they had spent so long on contriving. With a few deep breaths and a quick brushing across the cheeks to eliminate any rogue tears still present, she strode confidently into the bathroom, a smile plastered across her lips, ready to help Nyuu change.

The unexpected arrival of someone in the room caused Lucy to jolt up in awareness as she tried to scan the room, frantically searching for the identity of the intruder through her limited vision capabilities. Upon noticing her uneasy movements, Yuka sought to calm her down.

"Don't worry Nyuu, it's just me…I'm here to help you change. Then afterwards we'll get you straight off to bed." Slowly she made her way over towards the tub ready to hoist her out of the contaminated water when all of a sudden; Lucy slapped her arms away and began struggling to get to her feet…without Yuka's assistance. Obviously her words had the exact opposite effect on her.

'I don't need your help…'

"Oh my goodness, Nyuu! You have to stop before you hurt yourself! You have to let me help you! You're too weak to-"

"Watch me," Lucy interrupted callously.

She stood there watching in astonishment as Lucy began to stand shakily in the water, her body hunched over as she forced her herself to take a step, stumbling over in the process, only to be caught by the one person she was trying to get away from.

"You're so stubborn; you've got to take it easy! Now lets get you dried off and-" The young women was cut short when Lucy once again coldly shrugged off her supportive embrace and began stumbling towards the door and out into the hallway, crashing into the shutters on the other side…another failed attempt.

"What an earth has gotten into you?" Yuka chased after her, running to her side as she slumped down against the smooth mahogany frame. There was no point denying it, Lucy was just too weak to keep her grudge at the moment. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she really did need the help. Gritting her teeth in bitter defeat, she allowed Yuka to pick her up and carry her into her bedroom…she desperately need the rest after all and besides, she could deal with the girl later…

'I won't forgive you…ever…you're just like the rest of them…'

"I wonder how long Yuka wants us to stay out here," Maiyu had decided that it was probably best to stay away from both Yuka and the house for the time being, both because her adoptive parents were fighting and the fact that the 'thing' that was making Nana uneasy seemed to be in the local vicinity. So she, Nana and Wanta had gone on a walk. The stroll had been quite uneventful…neither of them speaking much except maybe for the odd comment on something they saw as they passed by, the young Diclonius had been insanely focused on whatever it was that she could sense. Maiyu, noticing her friend's intense expression instantly began to worry.

"Is it really bothering you that much?"

"She's getting stronger…" she replied seemingly in a daze, her voice uncharacteristically serious as she continued to stare out blankly in front of her.

'What if she managers to attack Kouta and Yuka…? We won't have a home anymore…'

"R-really? Who's 'she'?"

But Nana refusing to elaborate ignored her.

"I've got a bad feeling about all this…I think we should go home now Maiyu." The young brunette nodded hesitantly. She wasn't exactly sure if they would be wanted back home just yet. But still, she couldn't help but agree with Nana, she was right…something was very weird about the whole thing. And now, she was beginning to think that somehow, Yuka's strange behavior was indeed connected with what Nana was feeling. It was a very plausible scenario.

"O-okay…"

"Yuka…"

'Great…now what have I done?'

"Dammit!"

Kouta abruptly slammed his fists painfully against the hard wood of the table as he vented his frustration and confusion, enticing a loud wince as he did so. "Why is it…that I only ever seem to bring pain to the ones I love…?"

Slowly, he lent into the wall as the wheels and cogs began turning in his mind. There was no doubt about it, he loved Nyuu and her uncanny ability to make him laugh no matter what the circumstances…but Yuka…what was she to him? More then anything, especially lately, she had been more of a mother. Telling him to get up and get dressed before they missed school, scolding him whenever he did something wrong, fixing his injuries when he hurt himself…he really did care for Yuka, but he was positive that was all. When they were kids, there was no doubting that he did indeed enjoy his cousins company, but after meeting the seemingly lonely and mysterious girl with horns, she was all he ever thought about, even back then. Kouta had known for sometime that Yuka had harbored feelings for him, but because he knew that he would never or rather, could never reciprocate he instead decided to feign ignorance in hopes that they would eventually die away. Apparently though, his pretending to be naïve of her emotions was causing her much pain and grief, not to mention making her overly jealous of everybody around him…

That was it…he was going to have to tell her. But the question was how…? She would be very displeased no matter which way he put it…and he was sure to be hurt for it too. Kouta cringed as images of every time Yuka had slapped or punched him flashed before his eyes.

'Why me?'

"Okay, now lift your arms up for me."

This was torture.

This was the absolute last thing Lucy wanted to be doing at the moment…especially considering Yuka was the enemy. Perhaps the only thing that was keeping her sane presently was that eventually, sleep would claim her and she would be off dreaming of all the ways in which she could make Yuka pay for what she had done to her in the past. Unfortunately she had neither the strength nor the capability to summon her vectors and so for the time being, she would just have to endure. Waiting and watching for the opportune moment to arrive…

"There you go, all done! Now I'm going to leave you sleep for awhile okay? I'll come and wake you up for dinner later." Lucy simply growled towards the door as her presence dissipated from the room, mumbling incoherently under her breath as she gradually slid under the covers. Slowly, her eyes fluttered closed as she subdued to the darkness, allowing it to engulf her vision until she could see nothing more then the eternal blackness in front of her, extracts of memories ruthlessly bombarding her exhausted state of mind…

'You killed her!'

'You'll pay!'

'She'll be alright, just turn yourself in.'

'Look there's that girl with the horns!'

'She's getting away, chase after her!'

'You're a freak!'

'I'm sorry Lucy…'

'If they hadn't found me, you would still be alive. If she hadn't interfered you'd still be with me…'

'You stay away from Kouta from now on you hear me? He's mine!'

"Nyuu, dinner's ready!"

'She tried to hurt me!'

"Nyuu, are you in there?"

'Kouta…do I deserve this? You never thought so…so why?'

"Nyuu hey, wake up!"

'Why…? Am I really that worthless to people?'

"Nyuu!"

'They did this to her…she's dead because of her!'

"Nyuu! You have to wake up NOW!"

"Ah!" Abruptly, the young girl flung herself upright, panting and dripping in a cold sweat. "Hey are you okay? You don't look so good. I think you must have been having a bad dream or-" Kouta was suddenly cut short as she flung herself at him, engulfing him in a desperate embrace as she bawled her eyes out, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Kouta…why? Why?" The adolescent Diclonius managed to choke out in-between gasps, tightening her grip on his shirt. Kouta gently pried her off him in order to face her.

"Hey, calm down now, it's okay…you just had a nightmare that's all. Now come and have dinner with us okay?" Nyuu's expression immediately brightened as she was helped to her feet. He giggled lightly too, amused as to how easy it was to please her. Clutching onto Kouta's arm as if it were a matter of life and death, he began escorting her out towards the dinner table to only receive a reaction he was certainly not expecting…he had forgotten temporarily about Nana and Maiyu.

"I knew it!" Nana exclaimed jumping to her feet, "so it was you Lucy!"

"Oh wow, I can't believe Nyuu's back-" Maiyu stopped short as what Nana had said seconds before suddenly sank in.

"Lucy?" Maiyu, Yuka and Kouta questioned in unison, turning to face the young girl currently molded to Kouta's right arm. Of course they received no help from the girl in question as she met there puzzled and curious glances with the same old clueless look adorning her innocent features. That was when Kouta remembered…there were two of them! Lucy was the lonely little girl he had played with when they were young…the girl who had killed his father and younger sister. And Nyuu was the sweet, thoughtful and clumsy girl they found washed up on the beach…two completely different personalities both in the same body.

That was one small detail that both Yuka and Maiyu didn't know yet…and he planned to keep it that way…for now at least. The peaceful household they had was fragile enough as it was and to spill that one little revelation was sure to have more of a negative affect rather then a positive one. It surely would throw their entire household into chaos…

Unfortunately though, unbeknownst to everyone, things were already slowly beginning to peel away at the seams…it was only a matter of time now.