Hi there!! Sorry that this update is quite late...well to my standards. I have excuses, but they're not important, so, thanks goes to all who reviewed!! It means so much to me!! -huggles reviewers- Thank you!!

Disclaimer: -prances about in Aoki Takao outfit and makeup- Look at me, I own Beyblade. -rolls eyes- Seriously, what do you think?

On to the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter Two

With those simple uttered words, I think it was at that moment that my life took yet another turn for the worst.

Eying the magnolia folder hesitantly, I sighed in resignation and leant forwards, anxious at what I would find and read. This feeling came to me unexpectedly; for I had slaved away for the last ten years, putting aside my feelings, disregarding my social life, coping with my mother's untimely death in a car accident, and just struggling to stay afloat. My fingers found purchase on the large folder and I slowly brought it towards me, letting it rest in my hands for a moment, testing the weight for some reason, as if the weight would determine how easy or how difficult the next phase would be.

I heard Dmitri sigh from beside me, obviously annoyed at my lack of action. Dmitri had been my partner since I had been promoted to chief inspector, so about a year and a half now. I respected him a lot. Although he was at least ten years my senior, he treated me as any other person, with a respect and admiration that I feel I didn't deserve, but it was there none the less. He was a good man; almost like a surrogate older brother. He took me in when my mother passed away, helped me through the grieving that I never expected to do. I never expected to grieve after my mother died, as I had hidden my emotions the day that my father passed away, and I was left a snivelling wreck. Unappealing, I know. But it's all in the past, or so I hope.

Fingers trembling in excitement? Anxiety? Fear? Whatever it was, I was shaking, and like a leaf, might I add. Gently prying away the sticky residue that bound the envelope shut, I reached in a hand and pulled out a stack of documents. Laying them out on my desk, I studied each page individually, putting it aside once I had finished scanning its contents. A flash of black, different shades of grey and white caught my attention as I lifted off the fifth page, leaving me staring down in shock, fear gripping my heart. Memories buried deep in the confines of my mind years ago, through the hell of therapy, suddenly escaped, and I was left reeling. Staring up at me was the image of my father. Dead corpse in the midst of a post examination, skin pasty and eyes hollow, it felt like a nightmare come true.

After the death of my father, I had had numerous nightmares in which my father would rise up, blood still dripping from the many holes in his body and open his arms to me, granting me the hug I had desired. But then I would realise that I didn't want to be embraced; was actually scared of it. And every step he took towards me would cause me to flinch involuntarily and stumble back a few paces. His dead eyes staring at me hollowly, accusingly before he crumpled to the ground at my feet. Every time it was the same, and every time it occurred, a little more of me would break away and hide.

I admit, I'm not the same person I was after my father died, far from it really. I had always been a social child, relishing in the attention I received from both my doting parents. Carefree, yet mature beyond my years, I had a brilliant up bringing, coming to respect all people from all walks of life. Again, I say, I'm not the same person. No longer do I find interest in socialising, unless the motives are important. No longer am I carefree. Instead consumed by a huge cloud of paranoia that would never leave me. No longer do I feel safe, even in my own skin. I was lost, am lost, and I had been for the last ten years, but my stubborn will refused me from seeking the help, the security that I so desperately craved.

So when I stared down at the haunting picture, I refused to seek comfort in Dmitri, whom I knew would give it willingly. Instead, I buried my grief and carried on, swallowing the large lump in my throat. It took me approximately fifteen minutes to fully comprehend everything that had been given to me and sat back, propping my legs up on my mahogany desk.

A short clearing of a throat and my attention swerved towards Dmitri, who gazed at me expectantly, prompting an answer out of me of which I didn't even know myself.

"What are we going to do?"

I blinked then shrugged, showing him that I was unsure. This seemed to puzzle him quite a bit as he frowned at me, concern radiating in his warm hazel eyes.

"Kai, you've been waiting for this moment since you were ten, and now it's here, you don't know what to do…call me silly, but, that's not right," Dmitri moved towards me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off, my strong will creating a seemingly impenetrable barrier that refused to let him through. God knows he tried, and is still trying, but I couldn't. I couldn't let him get closer to me than he already was.

His hand dropped to his side softly, and he shook his head at me sorrowfully, before turning and heading towards the door of my office. He turned back briefly, hoping to look me in the eye, but I kept my gaze focused solely on the documents.

"I wish you would just open up to me. It's not healthy keeping all of this inside. It will eventually break you," he left the room after that, the door clicking shut quietly behind him.

I wiped a hand over my face and took in a deep breath, whispered words leaving my mouth, "No. It's already broken me. And I'm breaking even more every day. Someone please help me…"

And still, my father's hollow eyes stared up at me, and for the first time in ten years, bittersweet tears trailed down my cheeks.

Awwww! This fic always seems to bring out the angst lover in me! -grins- Anyway, this chapter was...umm...a little...unimportant...but the next chapter is where things start picking up.

So please review to get that next chapter...or I'll probably forget about it altogether. It's the truth! -grins sheepishly- I don't have the best memory in the world! Anyway, review please. I would love to know what you think about the fic so far.

Take care.

Ja ne!