Satsuki awoke with a start. She tried to muffle her screams this time, but somehow, it wasn't enough because Ryuko was by her side in a split second. "What?! What's wrong?!" She asked, wide eyed. Satsuki cursed herself under her breath. That was the third time this week she had woken up with night terrors. And the third time she had woken Ryuko with them, too.

"N-Nothing. I'm fine." She lied, her voice shaky and her hands clammy. She had been having nightmares about their mother. Some were vaguely similar to what already happened, and some were her worst fears. She didn't mean to keep waking Ryuko up. She could see the bags under the younger girl's eyes and her frightened expression. She felt guilty. Her screaming was taking a toll on her little sister.

"No, you're not. I can see it in your face." Ryuko said flatly, crossing her arms. Her features softened. "Satsuki...C'mon just tell me. No one just wakes up screaming for the third time in a row and says they're fine." She put a hand on the older girls shoulder reassuringly. "Sis?"

Ryuko only called her sis when she really knew something was bothering Satsuki. Satsuki sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been having these horrible, horrifying dreams and they just cause so many problems." She ran a hand through her messy jet black hair. Like lack of sleep. She hadn't slept a wink ever since she got better from her injuries. Each one brought on a new terror, and every time she thought about it, she felt like crying.

But she couldn't tell Ryuko that. She was supposed to be the older sister. The rock. She's supposed to be the one coddling Ryuko, not the other way around. "What horrible dreams? You never mentioned any dreams." Ryuko felt hurt that her sister would keep such a thing from her. She was still new to this whole sister thing, but to see Satsuki in pain caused pain for her.

Satsuki pursed her lips. "Imouto, if I tell you this, you promise not tell anyone?" She asked, a very rare look of doubt crossed her face. She had never told anyone what she was about to tell Ryuko. Not even Soroi.

"Yeah, yeah, sis you can trust me." Ryuko reassured her, scooting closer. Sharing secrets was new for the both of them. Even though they grew up apart their behaviors were the same. They both were loners, and didn't have many friends except for the people they trusted. And even then they still didn't tell those few people everything.

"Ragyo..." Satsuki paused. She didn't quite know how to say it. "She..." She trailed. God, why was it so hard for her to just come out and say it? "She used to..." She tried again. Her face twisted in frustration. The old Satsuki Kiryuin wouldn't have trouble saying what she wanted. "She used to touch me." She cursed herself for going with the simplest explanation. She hoped that Ryuko would at least get what she was hinting at.

Ryuko's eyebrows rose and fell in confusion. "What do you-" Realization washed over her. "You mean she...and she...oh my god..." She mumbled. "Have you told anyone else?" she whispered.

Satsuki couldn't for the life of her understand why Ryuko was whispering when everyone was dead asleep, but answered anyway, shaking her head. Ryuko stayed quiet, staring at the ratty mattress Satsuki was laying on. Satsuki could practically see the gears in her head turning.

"How long, sis?"

"Do we have to-"

"How long?!" Ryuko asked more sternly.

Satsuki gulped, feeling a knot developing in her throat. "S-since I was nine." And then Ryuko was up. And she was throwing on Senketsu and she was storming out the door. "Ryuko! Hey! Where are you going?!" The older girl called after her, stumbling to her feet in the darkness.

"To rip that bitch limb from limb." Ryuko deadpanned, her fists were clenched, and the red strand of life fiber in her hair burned bright. That only happened when she was beyond pissed. Satsuki knew that when she got like this there was no stopping her. But this time she had to, or else Ryuko would get herself killed. And she couldn't lose her again.

"Matoi." Ryuko hated when Satsuki called her that. They were supposed to be on a first name basis now. She only called her by her last name when she was about to do something stupid and reckless. Ryuko slowly turned around. Satsuki grabbed both sides of her face. "Ryuko, I get that you're concerned about me, and that is very sisterly of you. But you have to remember that our mother will not hesitate to have you decapitated."

Ryuko winced. She had a very good point. Thunder rumbled up above. "You're just going to let her get away with this?! You're just going to let her control you?!" She growled.

Satsuki became angry. "She has no control over me! I am my own woman! How dare you say such a thing!" She shouted, pounding her chest.

"If she doesn't have control over you, then why do you wake up in the middle of the night screaming for me?! Screaming because you imagine her torturing you the way she used to?! Don't hand me that bullshit!" Ryuko screamed at her. "You're so blinded by your stupid, beat up pride you can't even see that."

What happened next surprised the both of them. Satsuki started crying. And not small little sobs. Actually legit crying. Ryuko had never seen her cry. Ever. She was always so strong and commanding. Satsuki seemed unbreakable. To see her cry made Ryuko uncomfortable. She sighed and picked her up, carrying her over to the bed bridle style.

They laid together for a while. Satsuki's sobs would quiet down, and Ryuko could hear her chest heaving. And then they would start up again. It was heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. Ryuko wanted to cry herself.

Eventually the crying stopped all together, and in it's place light snoring could be heard. At some point Satsuki had turned to face Ryuko before falling asleep. And Ryuko could see how damaged she really was. Her face was puffy, and her cheeks were tear stained. She wasn't just injured on the outside, she was injured on the inside.

Hesitantly, Ryuko wrapped her arms around her older sister. She rubbed her back and kissed her forehead, letting her know she was here for her. She drifted off to sleep finally, listening to her sister's calming heartbeat.

Satsuki never woke up screaming again.