Maria spun to look where i was pointing and froze. "Nala," her voice was low and tense. "Are you absolutely positive that's him? The man in the uniform with the other man at the front desk?" I jerked my extended arm back towards my body and tucked it over my stomach protectively.
"Y-yes. P-positive." Fear caused my voice to go shaky as i spoke, and my vision began to tunnel as the memory of the panic and fear i'd felt only hours before began to show itself.
"Nala!" Suddenly Maria was filling my vision, leaning close to me to block my sight of the man. Snapping her fingers in front of my face, she brought my attention back to her rather than the emotions coursing through my body. "Focus on me Nala. Not him. I won't ever let him hurt you again you're safe now. Breath for me, yes that's it. Deep breath in, now slowly let it out. Good girl." She turned to glance over her shoulder but still kept her body blocking my view. "Who's the man with him hun? Is that your father?"
"Y-yeah that's him. Fuyumi Ren." She nodded briskly and turned back to me.
"Nala we have to confront him before he can leave. I need you to do something though...pretend you don't recognize the man next to him." My eyes jerked up to her,
"What!?" Grasping my shoulders, she looked down at me with now stormy blue eyes full of seriousness and anger.
"Nala, honey, that man with your father is officer Tokiya Yuro. He has been under covert investigation by not only myself but several other officers, including the chief of our department, for suspected drug smuggling and being on the payroll of some pretty dangerous drug lords. So far we've been working only off of suspicions and rumors but with your conviction of him we might be able to finally bring him down." The blond woman held up a hand to stop me from talking as i opened my mouth to voice my question. "Before you ask why i can't just arrest him now, let me explain a bit more. As much as i'd like to march out there and book them both at this very moment, i'm under express orders from the captain of the department that if i were to ever have a case like this where we had solid proof i'm not allowed to confront Tokiya without the captain's permission on it. He wants an extremely solid case, and to be able to bring down those that Tokiya is working for. I don't have the authority at this moment to go out and arrest him. Your father on the other hand...well would you like to stay here while i take care of him or would you feel safer coming with me?" I looked down at the ground in not only anger but shame.
"I...i'd like to come with you...i….i need to see the look in his eyes when you arrest him…" I felt her nod more than saw it.
"I understand. Please stay by officer Atsushi though." At my blank stare she clarified, "The guy who was manning the front desk when you got here. He's also in on the Tokiya investigation and will keep you safe whenever i'm not able to be there for you." I opened my mouth to ask a question, but was cut off by sudden commotion by the front desk. Jumping around Maria, i stared in horror at the sight across the room. My father had been shouting something and when he moved it revealed the small figure standing there whom he was yelling at. It was Haruhi. She was standing there arms fisted by her sides, jaw clenched in determination while she glared at him.
"Crap." i whispered and without hesitation i ran out of the office and sprinted towards them. Haruhi snapped something but i was too far away to hear but whatever it was it wasn't good, my obviously intoxicated father drew his hand back as if he was going to hit her. "NO!" i screamed and shoving off the ground, i tackled my father before he could hit my best friend. "Don't you touch her! You bastard! You can't touch her ever! i won't let you!" I leapt off of him and put myself between him and my best friend. Staggering to his feet, my father snarled right back at me.
"Where have you been you little…." He cut himself off before he snapped several choice words. Stepping forward he suddenly snagged my wrist and began tugging me towards the door, "Lets go. We're going home. You have a lot of explaining to do and things to take care of."
"I would suggest you drop Nala's hand right now Mr Fuyumi. Of course if you don't i've been wanting a chance to try out my new stun gun. It's your choice." At the cool, calm female voice behind us, he spun but didn't drop my wrist.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" He glared at Maria as she stood there appearing to all the world as if she was at a salon getting her nails done rather than facing down a drunk man. The only revealing thing to her facade was the tightness around her eyes, and the way she was clenching and unclenching her hand at her side.
'I sir? I am the woman saving your daughter." He frowned in confusion not understanding what she was implying due to his intoxicated state.
"Mind your own business. She doesn't need saving. What she needs is someone to teach her a lesson which i fully intend to do."
"On the contrary," Maria tipped up her chin and full on glared at him now, "I believe she does, most especially from you." He took a threatening step forward, dropping my wrist. The moment he did so Haruhi hurried over to me and clasped my hand in hers.
"If you don't stop meddling lady you're gonna regret it." She merely raised her eyebrows at his words,
"Is that a threat?" He took another small step forward getting in her face in an attempt to scare her. She didn't back down from him matching his anger filled stare with one of her own.
"It's whatever the hell you want it to be." His eyes raked up and down her body and he leered, "Of course i'd much rather take you somewhere nice and give you something we both will enjoy, but if threats are what it takes, it's what you'll get." At 38 my father wasn't a bad looking man, he was of average height, messy black hair, and piercing blue eyes. Nor was he overweight. For these reasons, I'd seen women swoon when he pulled his bad guy act for them before, but Maria didn't even blink. A quick glance around showed we had the entire room's attention. Several people were standing by warily hands by their hips ready to draw stuns guns in case he hurt her, while others stood back watching in shock at the scene unfolding. My gaze skimmed Tokiya and i shuddered but thankfully he was watching the scene happening in front of him rather than the small girl behind the action.
"Did you get all of that Officer Atsushi?" Maria's soft voice snapped my attention back to her as she stepped away from my father slowly. Even as she spoke to the other officer, her cool blue eyes remained on my father.
"I did detective." Nodding at his response she stepped forward, glasses flashing.
"Mr Fuyumi please turn around and put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest for the attempted prostitution of a minor, domestic abuse, and the harassment of a police officer." His jaw dropped and he began backing away.
"No...no! You can't do this!" She matched him step for step.
"I can Mr Fuyumi, and i am." Suddenly, without warning, he spun and attempted to run, forgetting the fact that A he was in a police station he wasn't getting far, and B that Haruhi and i were right behind him. His eyes were wide, red rimmed, and wild. All of the sudden, a split second before he reached us, *crack!* the sharp report of a firearm being discharged filled the room and with a scream Haruhi and i hit the floor. We were the only ones who screamed, but we weren't the only ones who hit the floor. My father went down, clutching his neck and slamming his head against the corner of a wooden table with enough force the table tipped with him. There was a moment of silence before,
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"Get pressure on that wound!"
"Damn you Tokiya you moron why'd you shoot!?" and
"The girls! Are the girls ok!?" This last from Maria. Similar shouts filled the room around us as Haruhi and i lay on the floor. Rolling over onto my side, my ears still ringing from the shot, i opened my eyes, and screamed again. My father's face lay inches away from my own, he was bleeding profusely and as i watched in some sick, horrified trance that pool of blood drew ever closer to where i was lying. I held no love for the man who lay in front of me bleeding to death, yet even so, a pang shot through me at the idea of him dead. He may have no love for me and vice versa, but he was my father by birth and it is not easy to imagine one from whom you came from as dead.
"Nala!?" Haruhi's sharp voice snapped me out of my daze, and rolling the opposite direction as fast as i could, i managed to sit up, grab a wastebasket next to a desk, and begin heaving into it. Why? Why mommy? Why me? Why did i have to see this? Tears pooled in my eyes but i refused to let them fall. It hurts momma. It hurts so much. Please let me be dreaming. Let me wake up and find out that for once this nightmare isn't real.
"Fuck." I staggered to my feet snarling the bitter curse word under my breath. "Haruhi? Haru?" She didn't notice me at first, she was on her cell phone arguing with someone,
"No….No i'm fine senpai.…..no you don't have to come….look Tamaki-senpai please just have Kyoya get a room ready for Nala's father...yes...alright….FINE!...Bye." Flipping her phone shut she turned to face me. Her big doe eyes were wide with shock, and she was looking a little queasy. For a surreal moment i heard nothing, there was no sound, just the sight of what was happening in front of me. At the moment we were left alone, people rushed by, some to my father, other's to call the hospital, even Maria had been dragged aside by Tokiya and some other stranger and they appeared to be arguing furiously but she kept sending worried glances over at Haru and i. Finally she broke away from the two men and hurried over to us.
"Are you two alright?" Her voice was full of worry and she looked us up and down, checking to make sure neither of us were injured. One look at my face though and her own eyes flashed with sadness. "C'mere you to. You guys didn't need to see this i'm so sorry i didn't expect anything like this to happen." Like a mother, she pulled the two of us into a hug and began humming softly.
It had only been a few moments of that but a suddenly the door to the police station burst open and the paramedics rushed into the room with a stretcher and barking orders. They weren't the only ones to run in though.
"HARUHIIIIIII!" Tamaki burst through the doors along with the rest of the host club. Sprinting to her, he pulled her from the embrace of Maria and I and held her close burying her face in her hair. He appeared to be whispering soft things into her hair and i watched as Haruhi's big frightened eyes shut and clutching the front of Tamaki's shirt she buried her face against his chest. The rest of the host club gathered around her and even in my dazed state i noticed how close one of the twins was hovering, and the soft look of pain in his eyes when he gazed at Haruhi in Tamaki's arms.
"What happened here detective?" Kyoya's smooth voice cut through my focus on the twin jerking me back into my new, painful reality.
"I'm sorry sir i'm not authorized to disclose that information to the public." Kyoya's eyebrows went up. He obviously wasn't used to being told no and Maria's equally smooth refusal to his question seemed to surprise the boy. A soft gasp behind us had me stiffening and turning as a new voice gushed,
"Mr Ootori we weren't aware you would be here today. I apologize profusely for this young lady. She's a….new detective and doesn't understand the ropes yet." I was now facing a small, beady eyed, balding man. His voice was as oily as the little hair he had left on his head and let me tell you, there was some seriously major slickage going on there.I don't like you buddy back the hell up my eyes narrowed. I felt Maria stiffen beside me at the little man's words and without thinking i rallied to the defense of my new friend.
"Maria was doing quite well sir. Thank you kindly for interrupting our conversation with Mr Ootori." His eyes widened before narrowing slightly, and letting out a forced chuckle he spoke.
"I didn't see much to interrupt my dear." I shuddered at the use of the endearment coming from him. Before i could speak though someone else joined our little group.
"Mr Ootori. A pleasure to see you. The captain sent me over to wish you welcome even though you seem to have caught us at a...bad time, and to thank you for your family's continued support of our precinct." From the corner of my eye i saw him beckon to the man with the oily voice and hair, and I felt myself grow pale. "Akito you and i also have to talk so find me later." Slowly, ever so slowly, i turned my head to look at the person speaking. Tall, with charcoal black hair, and piercing ice blue eyes, the man was the epitome of what a girl could look for, but as for me? I grew faint with horror. Being this near to the monster from the morning made my previously emptied stomach church with fresh dread, sweat broke out across my back and my hands began to shake. Maria took a half step in front of me effectively putting herself between Tokiya and I.
"Can i help you officer?" her cold voice made it obvious there was no love lost between them.
The man merely shrugged,
"I came over at the captains orders like i said. Also to apologize to the young lady. it was an….unconscious action of mine to draw and fire and i thought it best to...see how she was doing." He stepped around Maria and his eyes met mine. "My sincerest apologies miss Fuyumi." There was no apology in the icy depths though. My hands grew clammy and for a moment i couldn't breath. The pedophile in front of me raked his eyes over my small form and i saw the smile in his eyes when he realized exactly how short i was. I didn't even come up to his shoulder and he must've been over six feet. A cold voice interrupted my thoughts,
"Miss Fuyumi has had a long day. We are here to take her home unless she plans to visit the hospital first?" I mutely shook my head at Kyoya's question . "Well then, we'll be going. Good day officers. Also detective here's my card please feel free to call anytime i'm always available to help." Maria's eyes grew sharp with understanding but she murmured,
"Thank you. I'm sure you've already done quite enough," handing him her card in return she said, "Please do call me if there is a change in Mr Fuyumi's condition." He nodded but before he could pull me away, she tugged me closer to her and enfolded her in a hug. "Here take this," she whispered into my hair while covertly slipping something into my hand, "It's my private number, call me if you need help at all. I'll stop by later and we can talk more then." Out loud she said, "I'll see you later Miss Fuyumi." and released me back to Kyoya.
"Shall we then?" Nodding, still silent, i followed Kyoya back to the host club feeling Tokiya's eyes burning into my back the entire time.