Disclaimer - If you recoginize anything, then I do not own it.

A/N - Okay, everyone, we are going to take a break from Brooklyn to focus on what is going on w/h his siblings. This chapter focuses a bit on the past and contains flashbacks.

Chapter Nine - Reflections of the Past

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Kai shouted, throwing the vase across the room, "I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE IS STILL MISSING!" Almost every other occupant in the room cringed from his tone of voice as they darted out of the way of the flying pieces of porcelain. Kai had been in a very bad mood lately but it had only intensified after Brooklyn had run away from home. It had been hard on all of them especially Rei, who could do nothing to calm his mood. "Kai," he said, calmly but his boyfriend gave him a glare that if it could kill, the neko-jin would have dropped dead.

Bryan, who had been sitting on the back of the sofa had enough of Kai's tantrum as he rose. "No wonder Brooklyn ran away," he stated with a calm air, "if this is the way that you acted around him." Kai's crimson orbs turned from Rei to Bryan as Tala gulped. Bryan's snide remarks were about to get him in serious trouble. No one dared to speak to Kai like that when he was in such a foul mood except those who were wanting a beating.

"You have no say in the matter," Kai spat at Bryan, who stood there with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face, "he is not your little brother." "He may not be my brother," Bryan added as Tala grabbed his arm and tried to stop the confrontation that was going to happen, "but I understand what he has gone through. Neither you or Mariam understand him and treat him like he is five instead of fifteen. He's capable of making some choices on his own. They may not be right but still you have to respect him. At least, Tala and Rei made an attempt to reach him unlike you who blew up in his face."

"This is none of your business, Kuznetsov," Kai snapped, glaring at the lavendar-haired Russian, "so stay out of it." "Kai, I think Bryan is somewhat right," Tala admitted with a shrug, "I mean we do tend to treat Brook like a child instead of a teen. Maybe we are partially responsible for his running away and-" Whatever else Tala was going to say was cut off by Kai, who punched him in the cheek. Tala staggered back as Bryan growled and jumped forward to subdue Kai. He grabbed Kai by the front of his jacket and shoved him up against the wall, making several pictures and knick knacks fall to the floor and shatter.

"How dare you?" Bryan glared as Kai looked surprised. Bryan was using his hands to secure Kai's arms and a knee inbetween his legs so he couldn't move or fight back. "Bryan, no," Tala defended as Rei helped him up, "let him go." Bryan turned to look at his boyfriend, who looked all right except for the vicious red mark on his pale cheek. He turned back to Kai, growled like a threatened animal and let go of him but not before he shoved him halfway across the room.

Rei didn't say anything as he looked at Kai or did Mariam, who looked surprised that he had hit Tala. He had calmed down somewhat as his mouth moved but no words came out of it. Tala understood since he was trying to say 'I'm sorry' before he fled the room. Kai needed some time to think as he ran up the stairs, intent on spending some time alone in his room but as he past Brooklyn's door, something drew him inside. He flipped on the switch as light flooded the room that had been left untouched since Brooklyn's disappearance.

He sat down on the bed that was still the same as Brooklyn had left it. A picture on his nightstand grabbed his attention as he picked up the frame. His lips curled up slightly as he remembered the day the photo had been taken in the park since their father was in it. It had been after the Bladebreakers had won the Asian tournament and the adults had decided to have a picnic to celebrate their victory. That seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago.

Flashback

He was laying back in the grass with a piece of it stuck in his mouth, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon. His scarf was lying around him as his arms were beneath his head. He could hear the adults talking as they started to get lunch ready and the laughs of his teammates and younger siblings. "Kai," a voice said as he cracked open an eye to see Brooklyn standing there and casting a shadow over him. "What do you want?" he ask the five-year-old, who smiled and then giggled, "why aren't you playing with the others?" "Can ya teach me ta bwade?" he had ask, showing him the blade that he had bought for him only days before as a birthday gift.

"I'm sure that Tyson would be happy to teach you," the fourteen year old sighed with obvious jealously. He was still upset that the upstart had taken away his title. It was embarrassing to be beaten by an unknown. "Me want you ta teach me," he replied, simply, sitting down and using his chest as a seat and lowered his face so it was close to his own, "you my big bwother; not Tyson. You the best bwader evah, he not."

Kai's crimson eyes narrowed as he looked into the sea foam green eyes of his youngest brother, who was smiling and sincere with his remarks. Brooklyn totally idolized and revered him; even though he practically ignored the younger. "But he beat me in the regionals," Kai added, wishing that their father would come and collect the baby. He was fourteen and didn't want to play or even be seen with his baby brother. "Dat just fluke," Brooklyn stated, "you the best bwader in the world cause you my big bwother. Kai the best!"

He squealled the last remark as he giggled and something inside of Kai made him look back at Brooklyn, who kissed him on the tip of the nose. "Me luv you, big bwother," he had stated as he hugged him, "no one bettah than you." His actions made Kai have second thoughts and sit up as Brooklyn was shifted into his lap. "I guess I need to show you then," he stated with a slight smirk, "because I am the only one qualified to teach you how to blade out of all of those idiots and big mouths." "Goody," Brooklyn had shrieked, clapping as he stood up and then Kai lifted him on a hip. "Let's go show them how to blade, Hiwatari-style," Kai smirked as they walked to the beydish where the other bladers were gathered.

End Flashback

Kai sighed as he let the anger recede and put the picture back in its place. "When did it all go wrong?" he mumbled as he held his head in his hands. His thoughts shifting to another memory from seven years back that was not at all pleasant. A memory that they both shared and he wished had never happened. A memory that he wished to forget as much as Brooklyn did since it was the day that he had went to the Abbey to confront their grandfather over the custody matter and things had went horribly wrong.

Flashback

They could only watch as part of the building collasped from the explosion after they had been thrown out by the guards. "BROOKLYN!" he screamed, darting to the structure. "Kai, you can't," Rei protested, trying to hold him back, "it could come down on all of us!" "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" he shouted, "my little brother is in there! I have to get to him!"

He pulled away from Rei and darted into the building. There was debris scattered everywhere and the screams even made chills go down his spine. "BROOKLYN!" he shouted, ignoring the cries of the injuried and dying, "BROOKLYN, WHERE ARE YOU!" The building creaked as though the rest was going to come down on top of his head but he ignored it. His thoughts were focused only on his youngest brother as he darted through the debris-filled corridors, ignoring the smoke and the fires that were starting from the ruptured gas lines.

He darted down a hall, only to come across Boris and his grandfather. Voltaire had been injuried since there was blood on his face from a deep gash on his forehead. "Where's Brooklyn?" he shouted, his eyes burning with a red fire that definitely came from Dranzer as he grabbed the elderly man by the front of his robe. "The foolish child is probably dead," Boris spat as Kai's attention turned to him, "He touched a beyblade in the training room that was forbidden to all but you." Kai ignored his grandfather and went after Boris instead.

"You had better hope that he is not," he hissed with venom, slamming Tala's coach into the wall and knocking the breath from his body, "or you will be following him in death." A startled but distant cry turned his attention away from the two men as he left them and ran down the hallway. The stairway was mainly clear of debris as he ran down them taking four to five at a time. "We just lost dad," he murmured with slight panic, "I can't lose you too." The stairs ended in another hallway that was smoky and littered with debris. Some of the ceiling had collasped and crushed several of the guards.

Some of them were still alive but they wouldn't be for long. There was nothing that he could do about it but leave them. He had no way of freeing them and he was more concerned about his younger brother than a stranger; even though they didn't deserve to die in a manner like that. What remained of the training room was in front of him. The ceiling had totally collapsed on itself, there was glass everywhere and he was thinking that no one could survive it but someone had.

Soft crying could be heard from the other side of a mound of debris. It was mostly timber and not rock as Kai assessed the situation and saw a small opening. It was too small for him to get through as he kneeled down and started to cough from the smoke. "Brooklyn," he called, wrapping his scarf around his mouth, "is that you?" The crying stopped for a brief moment as a soft voice replied, "Kai."

"Yes, it is me," he stated, "I've come to take you home. Can you reach me?" He put his arm through the crawl space and felt a small hand reach out to him on the other side. "It hurt," Brooklyn cried as the hand vanished. "Brook, I can't reach you," Kai stated, "put the pain aside and reach for my hand. I should be able to pull you through."

It took a few moments but he felt his hand touch his again as he pulled. Brooklyn cried out in pain but it didn't deter him. If he stopped now, they would both be dead. He managed to crouch and put his other arm in as he felt his shoulder. Using all of his strength and thanking the gods that Brooklyn was so small pulled his younger brother through the opening. There was ash on his face and small cuts littered his body. One arm was covered with a nasty looking burn but it didn't deter the hand that was holding a very familiar beyblade.

"Black Dranzer," Kai whispered as he tried to take it but Brooklyn held onto it possessively. A strange look was in his eyes that he recoginized from his own when their grandfather had offered the blade to him. "MINE!" Brooklyn protested as his eyes turned black for a brief moment that shook Kai from his thoughts as he heard the sounds of sirens from even this deep in the abbey. He had no time to reason with him at the moment. They needed to get out of the building. He would deal with the dark beast later.

Ignoring his protests, he lifted Brooklyn into his arms as he tightly gripped the blade with one hand while the other wrapped around his neck. Kai tried to shield him from the sights and sounds around them but Brooklyn seemed immune to it all. By the time he reached the entrance hall, the emergency personel had arrived and were attending to the injuried and putting out the fires. "KAI!" Rei shouted as they emerged and he was glomped by the Chinese teen, who then did something surprising as he kissed him hard on the lips, "I am so glad that you are all right." "Kai," Mr. Dickenson admonished as he, Judy and Bruce had arrived, "it was foolish of you to risk your life in such a manner. You could have been killed."

"I had too, sir," he defended, his grip on Brooklyn tighting, "I would do anything for Brookie. He is my responsibility now." "No-" Brooklyn protested as Judy tried to take him away from Kai. He didn't want to let go of him so soon but his injuries did need to be looked over and she did succeed in knocking the black blade from his hand. What happened next surprised them all as he looked around in confusion. Kai knew that the connection between he and the dark phoenix had been broken and he should return to normal or so he hoped.

Brooklyn then realized what had happened as his eyes turned toward the Abbey. "I did that," he whispered as the firemen and EMTs extracted students and adults from the destroyed building, "I'm responsible." He then buried his head into Judy's neck as he began to cry. Kai took the moment to pick up the blade that he had dropped and pocketed it while the others' attention was on his little brother. He vowed to never let him come in contact with the blade again since it called out to him as well. The difference between them was that he was strong enough to control the black phoenix but the bird had complete control over his little brother.

End Flashback

Kai shook his head sadly as he remembered that day. They had thought Brooklyn would return to his somewhat normal self after returning to Japan but he hadn't. His time with their grandfather had left too many mental scars on him. He would never be the sweet and naive little boy that they had known before. He had been traumatized and it had been his fault as well.

After that day, Brooklyn had been very dependant on him. He couldn't leave the room to even go to the bathroom without him following behind like a baby duck. Tyson had made a comment about Kai being the mama duck while Brooklyn was the baby. That remark had earned the world champion a black eye and split lip. It had also been the start of his relationship with Rei since the two had confessed their feelings for one another on the plane ride back.

Rei hadn't minded how Brooklyn had clung to him every second. He didn't mind that he had to sit with him while eating or even the fact that he slept with him as well. The only time that any of the others could pry him away from his arms was when he had to take a bath. Even then Judy had a time since all he would do was cry for him. It was like he had regressed back a few years and it would take time for him to recover but he would never fully recover from the incident or the abuse. Another memory resurfaced that proved that assumption true just two years later after the destruction at the Abbey.

Flashback

"Tala, have you seen Brook?" Kai ask as he entered his younger brother's room, "I just returned from the store and wanted to see if he would like to help me with dinner." "I thought Rei was coming over," Tala replied as he looked up briefly from the manga he was reading. "He can't make it," Kai added, "so you will have to eat my cooking tonight." He thought he heard Tala mumble something about food poisoning that he decided to ignore. He wasn't in the mood for an argument since he was concerned about Brooklyn.

The ten-year-old had been having problems at school from the other students' taunting because of his shyness and homelife. He was aware of the bullying since he had been called to the school by his teacher who had witnessed several incidents. He had not been surprised to hear that Brooklyn had refused to fight back and would just fall against the wall crying. He had tried to teach him to fight back and defend himself but Brooklyn was too much of a pacifist to fight. He didn't even care if his cowardness dishonored the Hiwatari name. He didn't want to fight with either his fists or his beyblade.

His eyes went back to his room that was empty. His shoes were at the door so he hadn't left the house and his beyblade was sitting on his nightstand. He then realized that the bathroom door was shut and thought perhaps Brooklyn might be taking a bath. "Brook," he called as he knocked on the door, "are you in there?" He tried to turn the door knob but it was locked.

That puzzled him since there was no answer from inside. "Brook!" he called again, "Brookie!" A strange feeling told him that something was horribly wrong as he tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge as he cursed and pulled out his blade and launcher from his pocket. "Go Dranzer!" he shouted as the blue blade hit the door and shattered it into pieces.

He entered the bathroom to find a sight that would give him nightmares for months and years to come. Brooklyn was floating in a tub of water that was tinted red from his own blood. "By the gods," he murmured, darting to the bath and pulling out the wet body of his younger brother. "TALA!" he shouted as he put his fingers to his neck. He sighed when he felt a weak pulse but he had stopped breathing from being submerged in the water.

"What?" Tala ask as he appeared and gasp as all the blood drained from his face. "Call an ambulence!" he ordered as he started to give his youngest brother CPR that he did respond too. When he started to breath, he saw the slits on his wrists and bandaged them to staunch the flow of blood. "What's going on?" Mariam ask as she appeared and nearly fainted from the sight before her. "The EMTs are on their way," Tala added as he returned, "Is he still-" He swallowed nervously and seemed unable to finish his question as Kai nodded.

"Why?" Mariam whispered, asking the question that all of them wanted an answer too, "why would he attempt suicide? He's only ten for the gods' sake." Kai just had to remain quiet. He didn't have an answer to her question. He didn't know what could drive a ten-year-old to attempt suicide. He wouldn't be able to explain later why he would start to cut either.

End Flashback

"Kai," a voice called as the door opened to admit a different red-head. "What do you want, Tala?" he growled as he hid his eyes. He definitely didn't want Tala to see that he had been crying. It was a show of weakness and no one was allowed to see Kai Hiwatari cry; not even his siblings. Tala shut the door behind him, obviously wanting privacy as he sat down in the chair at the desk across from him.

"Are you all right?" Tala finally ask after a few minutes of silence, "I wanted to make certain that you were okay." "I'm perfectly fine," he snapped, unintentionantly as Tala pulled back and his stance softened, "I'm sorry, you know, about that." He was motioning to the red spot on his cheek that would definitely bruise. "I wish I could say that I deserved it," Tala smirked, "but I can't. You really need to learn to control your temper. I just wish that you and Bryan got along better."

"It wasn't his fault," Kai sighed as he looked up, "what he said was true. I have been treating Brooklyn like a little kid. Maybe if I had spoke to him like an adult about his boyfriend instead of storming off like I had, he would still be here and I wouldn't be so worried about him. He isn't capable of surviving on the streets by himself." "I remember when you went through a similar rebellious phase," Tala added with a smirk, "you ran away from home that one time when you got mad at dad about wanting to tattoo those fins on your face and he wouldn't allow it."

"I was only gone for one day," Kai informed as he rubbed his hand over the markings, "and I was over at Tyson's so he knew where I was. You know, dad was right about the tattooes. It hurt like hell when I had them done." Kai laughed slightly as Tala smiled as well. It had been too long since he had seen him with a smile on his face that he had almost forgotten what he had looked like happy.

"I shouldn't be laughing," Kai added as the laughter died, "I have nothing to laugh about now." "Kai, I think that you need to give Brooklyn more credit," Tala mused with a slight smirk, "he is much more capable than you think. I may not know where he is but I know that he is all right because my heart tells me so. Now, let's go get something to eat. Bryan has offered to pay for everyone."

Kai nodded as he rose but took one more look around the room before he left it. He wished he had as much faith as Tala did. Then maybe he wouldn't worry so much but he too knew that Brooklyn was all right wherever he was. He smirked slightly as he closed the door. If Kuznetsov was buying dinner then he was going to get the highest priced item on the menu.

Astera Snape

R & R