AN: Wahaha Kerrie-chan lives! Oh yes! Fear.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews… -twitch- even the ones that annoyed the hell out of me. I just have one thing to say:

Don't read a fic for almost 50 chapters (350 pages single spaced!) then complain about the OC. This fic is ABOUT Liika, if you don't like it, don't read it.

I'm sorry if you think she's weak or whatever. You try having your whole world turned upside down and see if you cry. Ugh.

I won't even go into the all the guys like Liika thing -- Cause having more than one boyfriend in highs chool is SO unusual. BOO.

And as for the comments about Bryan… well, he's a SUPPORTING character… aka not a lead. If he isn't in a chapter or two that's the way it goes. He will probably have more of a part later on

And as for the people that said I went to far with the sibling thing… well surprised you didn't I? It's my fic, I can do what I want. Personally I like the idea of them being siblings. Makes things more fun. Besides… I hate the Kai/Liika pairing blegh.

That is all. -Bows-

Chapter 11a: Behind these auburn eyes

Here I am, once again
I'm torn into pieces
Can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these turquoise eyes

'Behind these hazel eyes' Kelly Clarkson

Despite Enrique's protests, and grandpa's warnings, Liika decided that she was going to beyblade practice the next day no matter what. While in reality she wasn't particularly ready to face Kai, or the questioning looks or 'are you alright?'s, she felt she couldn't ignore her duty to her team. Especially not with worlds just under two months away. They had to train their hardest if they had any chance at being successful at the world tournament, and having both your captains out did not classify as training hard.

She sighed, shuffling through her beyblade gym locker before tying her jacket around her waist. She felt slightly more rested, having slept as soon as they got home to about 10, which was a good fourteen hours straight. Emotionally, however, she still felt drained. Weary and heartbroken, she was just tired.

"Liika!"

Liika turned blinking, coming face to face with a bright pink haired girl who immediately latched onto her. "Sakura?"

"I was so worried about you after you ran off like that!" The pink haired girl cried, releasing her hold on Liika and backing up a step to give her the once over. "How are you doing?"

Well, at least it wasn't 'are you alright?'. "I'll live," she replied sighing. "I'm sorry for not letting you know what was going on, but I guess you heard what happened from the horse's mouth so to speak."

"Yeah," Sakura bit her lip. "I'm…really sorry. I know we don't know each other all that well, but I'm here for you ok?"

Liika smiled, and hugged the taller girl. "Thanks."

"Man, not even being of higher blood makes you look better. I was actually hoping you'd be at home sobbing your pathetic little heart out, at least then I wouldn't have to look at you."

Liika's eyes rolled skyward and clenched her fists at her side. However, as soon as she saw him, the scathing retort died on her lips. She blinked rapidly, her eyes running over the hated blond. Her eyebrows quirked. "What the hell happened to you?" She asked, inwardly feeling some sort of sick pleasure.

Akito Imoraz looked as if he had been run over by a truck. His nose had obviously been broken, and she could see, even though he wore expensive shades over his eyes, that he had two, very large shiners.

Sakura tried to laugh too hard. She leaned over and whispered to Liika. "Gaara one punched him on Thursday after he said something nasty to Kai."

Liika let the smirk appear on her face, her eyes narrowing. With one hand she reached behind her and slammed her locker shut, then she strode forward towards the locker room door, where Akito, who was silently seething, stood.

"It looks good on you," she sneered, patting him on the shoulder before disappearing out the door.

Akito growled. "Fucking whore." He cursed, stomping into the room and throwing his bag down violently.

Sakura giggled quietly, leaving her captain to stew. Man she loved it when he got the raw end of the stick.

xxxxxx

Practice was mostly uneventful. Most people, though they obviously wanted to, did not ask about Kevin Hiwatari, or how she was, for which Liika was very grateful. Kai didn't show up, which wasn't really a surprise. Akito continued to glare at her, and everyone else for that matter, disregarding just about everything the two coaches were saying.

"And he wonders why he's not blading in the team battle." Liika muttered to herself as she sat on one of the benches that lined the gym at the end of practice, her bag at her ankles. "Jackass."

"Speaking of jackasses…one just walked through the door." Sakura whispered from her place beside Liika. Both Liika and Mariah—who was on Liika's other side—looked up and at the main doors where a tall, dark, middle aged man was striding in, his ever present body guards right behind him.

Liika grimaced, rolling her eyes. "He's late," she said glancing up at the clock.

"You mean you were expecting him?" Mariah cried incredulously. "Why?"

"Because he made grandpa give him visitation rights and Saturday is the day he chose."

Mariah and Sakura winced, sending sympathetic looks and pats Liika's way. Liika accepted them with a woeful countenance of one who was going to face the executioner.

"You will address me as father, and father only. You will follow one step behind me, never beside me and you will be respectful to me at all times, is that clear?"

Liika mimicked him silently in her head, raising insolent eyes to look at her new father who was standing some three feet away, staring down his nose at her. "Yes…father."

He snorted, a distasteful look crossing over his face. "Good. Come along then, we have a lot to do and a very short amount of time to do it." He turned on his heel, expecting her to follow without question.

"Wait!"

Kevin sighed impatiently, and caulked his head to the side to indicate he was listening. Liika stood, picking up her bag nervously. "I was wondering…that…maybe I could bring one of my friends along? I mean I don't really know you… and it would make me more comfortable…"

The older man, half stepped backwards, his eyes narrowing over top of his sunglasses. "Isn't the point of this little visit to get to know each other?" He asked mildly, one eyebrow arched.

Liika flushed a bit, scowling. "Well yes, but this is new for me ok! I would like a little back up if you don't mind."

He was silent for a moment, regarding her critically. "Fine," he said, "But only if they are of a suitable upbringing."

She rolled her eyes. Another words as long as their parents were loaded and walked in the same circle as you. Damn him.

"Hey Liika," Sakura said smiling, stepping forward. "I'm not doing anything, if you would like, I could come?"

Mariah smiled too, stepping on the other side and side hugging her. "It's ok," she whispered, sensing Liika's dilemma. "I don't mind, I have something to do…even if he was going to let me come." She winked.

Kevin turned his scrutiny to Sakura, eyeing her. "You go to Abbey?"

She nodded, holding Liika's hand.

"What do your parents do?"

"My father is Chief Financial Director for Sanderson and Co. and my mother is a dentist." She answered promptly.

"You'll do." He said with finality before turning again and continuing his journey towards the door. "Come along then."

Liika sent Mariah a half smile as she and Sakura started after her father. Her eyes searched the gym for Enrique, who she knew would be pissed if she left without telling him.

She was saved when he burst through the locker room door and scrambled across the gym until he came to a skidding stop in front of her. "Here," he said, placing his cell phone in her hand. "Call me half way through and tell me how it's going eh?"

"Thanks," she replied, slipping the phone into her pocket.

"Liika!"

Liika rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm coming!" She made a face at Sakura who giggled quietly into her hand.

"Oh crap! I have to tell Gaara I'm going with you-" Sakura cursed, stopping for a second.

However, before she could turn and head into the locker room, Kevin called over his shoulder, "Call him on the way. We have no time to waste. We have appointments to keep." He snapped just as he reached the door.

"Thank God you're coming…I think I'd try to throttle him if we were alone." Liika whispered.

Sakura grinned. "We can throttle him together."

xxxx

Liika was extremely surprised to find out that after a short limo ride to the airport (Bakuten had a small private landing strip, no doubt built by Hiwatari himself), that they were set to hop on a helicopter to Denver. Why? Her father wouldn't tell her (She still found it weird to think of him as her father), instead he just ushered her and Sakura rather roughly into the helicopter and told them to buckle up while he and his bodyguards did so.

Yeah, she didn't like him any more now than she did when she first met him. She really didn't know how she was going to survive with him as a father. Maybe Kai was right way back when they still hated each other. Maybe having no father was better than having him for a father.

"So uh…" Liika started, fiddling with her seatbelt. Silence had reigned for the last fifteen minutes as neither her or Sakura had dared to break it due to Kevin's reading. He was kind of scary actually. However, curiosity was getting the best of her, and she wanted to know why they were going to Denver. "What appointments do we have that would take us to Denver?"

Kevin looked up from his book—not a book actually, but a file with a lot of papers in—with a raised eyebrow. "You have an appointment with my stylist, as well as with several stores and a car dealership."

Liika just stared at him, an incredulous look on her face. "You mean we're going shopping?" God she hated shopping.

"In a manner yes. You're clothes are an embarrassment to me and yourself, and your hair is…plebian." He said the last bit with a disdainful sniff.

She put a hand to her hair, a confused grimace-like expression on her face. She looked at Sakura for help. Sakura just smothered a giggled and raised her hands in a confused manner as well.

"I didn't realize that hair could look common…" Liika muttered to Sakura, who laughed.

"Well yours does." Kevin said tartly. "You have more split ends than actual healthy hair. Do you wash your hair with bar soap and use no conditioner?"

"No, actually I wash it in battery acid and use bar soap as conditioner," she replied equally as tartly, sending him a sneer.

He was silent for a minute, almost as if he was stunned that she actually had the audacity to talk back. And then it came, a low, raspy, throaty chuckle, accompanied by a smirk. "Clever," he said rather smugly. "I believe I can turn you into my daughter after all."

She struggled not to scoff in his face and tell him that she didn't want to be his daughter. However, knowing that that would be a pointless endeavor, she refrained, instead satisfying herself a smirk.

"I don't know Liika, this could be kind of fun," Sakura said after a few more minutes of silence, no longer afraid of Kevin's anger at being interrupted. "Shopping!"

"I hate shopping," Liika bit out, making a face. "It's such a waste of time."

"An admirable opinion."

Liika looked at her father out of the corner of her eye. "Thank you." She answered before turning her attention back to Sakura. "Though I am glad you are here…I'm hopeless at fashion." She made another face. "Mostly cause I don't care. I don't really see why I need new clothes, there are other things I need more."

"Like what?"

His slightly interested tone caught Liika's attention and she raised an eyebrow. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

She exhaled loudly, her voice losing its antagonism. "Well a laptop for one would be nice. I'll be going to University next fall… and I want to major in history…and with my extra classes and AP classes…well it would be helpful."

"Very well, we'll pick one up as well then. Anything else?"

That was it? He was just going to give her a laptop? But that was like…$1500 at the cheapest O.o. "Uh…my own cell phone…?"

He looked unsurprised, as if she had just asked him for food, instead of another expensive item. "Of course, a necessity. I am surprised you do not already have one, I thought that was all the rage among teenagers."

She blushed. "Ah well…we don't have that much money… I generally just use grandpa's cell."

Kevin arched a dispassionate eyebrow. "You'll get your own."

When the silence began to rain again, Sakura tried again, nudging Liika and grinning widely. "Don't worry! I love shopping, and I have a pretty good fashion sense! We'll get you some really styling clothes!"

"We have different styles!" Liika pointed out half-seriously. "I like my jeans baggy and my tops tight."

Sakura waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, I haven't known you long, but I've picked up on your style. You go for that Avril Levign-like look right? I bet we can come up with some really cute outfits, even in your style range."

"A bit like Avril, but I dunno…just not preppy or girly," Liika wrinkled her nose. She could just picture herself in a dress. Not.

Sakura laughed as if sensing Liika's thoughts. "Again: Don't worry. It's not like I can make you buy a dress."

"I can."

Both girls threw identical looks of annoyance at the man in front of them. Kevin didn't even bother to look up, but could feel their hostile eyes on him. His lips twitched. "You will be attending a party in your honor on Friday. You will be expected to dress up, in a dress. That is one of the shops we will be going to. It's too late to have one custom made for you so you will have to choose and have it altered if necessary."

Liika stared at him like he had grown a second head. A dress? Her? "I don't wear dresses."

He glanced up. "You do now."

"I've never worn a dress."

"Well it's about time to start hm?"

"I don't believe this." Liika muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling out the window.

Arguing with him was pointless, this she knew. He had that tone, a tone that she was quickly becoming accustomed to as his "I know what's best and you won't win" tone. Which meant that she was going to be stuck in a dress at some hoity toity party in little under a week's time. Goody.

"Don't worry about it Liika," Sakura put in, trying to break the tension between father and daughter. "I'm sure we'll get a great dress. Now…back to what sort of clothing you want."

Liika sighed, sliding easily into the conversation. Anything was better than talking to the jackass.

xxxxxxx

"Oh my God! You're dad is going to flip!" Sakura screeched excitedly as the stylist put the finishing touches on Liika's hair, combing it and styling it with ease. Of course, at 150 dollars a haircut/style, it better be good.

Liika winked, sticking her tongue out a bit. "I know…that's the point."

The stylist looked on, his mouth twitching. "It really is his own fault, he told me that you could do anything you wanted as long as it looked decent and less…scruffy."

The two girls laughed, Liika grinning from ear to ear. "I like you," she said brightly. "You obviously understand the intricate assholeness of my father."

He clicked his tongue as he finished her hair with a flourish, pulling away the robe that covered her. "I can't say that I do," he said with pure innocence in his voice. However, as he turned the chair he gave her a discreet wink and grin.

Liika laughed happily, turning to examine her new hair in the mirror. "I really like it!"

And she did. She had never done anything so drastic to her hair, ever. It was short…much, much shorter. Her once mid-back length hair was now so short that it tapered, in layers to the nape of her neck. Her bangs were changed as well, brushing her forehead in short strands and getting progressively longer until they framed her chin. As well, on top of the cut she had had the stylist streak her hair, mostly in attempt to annoy her father. So now, as well as royal blue locks she had silver locks interspersed throughout her hair. It almost made her want to pierce something. However, when she voiced this feeling out loud, Sakura shook her head violently and began to push her out of the styling room and into the front lobby.

"After the episode involving the blood test? I'm not letting you within ten feet of a piercing gun!" Sakura cried aghast.

Liika laughed. "You have a point," she replied.

A heavy sigh sounded from in front of them and the two girls looked up to see Kevin Hiwatari standing beside the reception desk, his hands tucked in his slacks pockets, his sunglasses on the top of his head, his crimson eyes taking in her hair. His expression was flat, but rather annoyed looking.

"I should have known I couldn't trust you alone."

Liika made a face at him, flicking her bangs haughtily. "Well then if you knew that, then why did you leave? Your own fault really. Anyway, I like it." She took her bag from Sakura, who fought back giggles.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Of course you do," he sniffed, pulling his sunglasses back over his eyes. "You like it because you know it annoys me. However, much to your disappointment I do not hate it. It looks better than it did. Come along." With that he strode out of the upper class establishment, bodyguards in tow.

"Doesn't he have to pay?" Liika asked, throwing a confused look at Mariah.

Sakura shook her head. "It probably just comes off his account here. That's how things work when you have money."

"Oh." Life made easy eh?

"Liika!"

The two girls turned to see the stylist standing at the entrance to the back rooms, one hand on his hip, a comb in the other. He gave Liika a reprimanding look. "Don't you let anyone touch that hair! If you want to change it, you make an appointment with me, you hear me?" His serious tone was belied by his bright grin.

Liika gave him thumbs up before scampering with Sakura out the door.

xxxxx

"Sweety?" Kate called, knocking on her son's bedroom door. When she heard no response she opened the door, poking her head. She sighed upon seeing her son sitting on his computer chair beside his window, staring out with an angry, lost look in his eyes. "Kai, you can't just sit in here for the rest of you life." She continued softly.

Kai didn't answer, nor did he move. The only indication that he had heard her was the slight narrowing of his eyes.

Katherine stepped into the room, leaving the door open. "Tala called, I told him to just come over."

"I don't want to see anyone."

Well at least he's talking, she thought mildly, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. She stepped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, laying her head on top of his. "Sweety," she said as he relaxed against her. "He's your friend, he just wants to help you. Besides, staying cooped up in here isn't good for you. Liika isn't isolating herself."

Kai sighed, his eyes drifting shut. "She's out with him right now."

"I know." Kate replied evenly. "But my point is, that Liika isn't locking herself up. Tala told me that she went to practice today."

Kai's expression hardened, but before he could say something Kate interrupted him. "Don't take that look Kai Daemon, just because she's not isolated herself doesn't mean she's not hurting. I can't imagine that spending time with your father is that enjoyable for her. You have to keep in mind that this is probably even more difficult for Liika." She said seriously, turning Kai so she could meet his eyes. "She's gone through her whole life thinking that she's an orphan…that both her parents are dead. Then all of a sudden when she's almost a legal adult, a man shows up and says that he's her biological father. That's traumatic enough, then add that to the fact that her boyfriend is her brother…"

"I get it." Kai sighed. "It's just hard. It hurts. I still want her, even though I can't have her."

"And I'm sure she feels the same. You both need to work together to put this behind you. I'm sure with time, if you work at it, you'll come to love each other as siblings."

"You're right," he huffed one laugh. "Like always. I miss her, no one fights me as strongly as she does."

"That's my boy," Kai smiled, knocking his cheek. "You should call her. Maybe you and Tala can organize something to do. I think it would be good for you two to see each other."

Kai shrugged, bringing himself to his feet and stretching his arms over his head. His hooded, sleeveless shirt rose a bit and fell when he dropped his hands to his side. "How long before Tala shows up?"

"Time's up." A new voice said from the doorway, a smirk sounding clearly.

Kate smiled brightly at the new arrival. "Hello Tala! I'll leave you two alone then," she winked at the red head, patting his shoulder as she passed. "Get him out of the house hm?" She whispered as she passed.

"You don't waste any time do you?"

Tala grinned, shoving his hands into the pockets of his baggy jeans. "Kate said I could just let myself in."

Kai made a face and shoved at his best friend. "Since when are you on a first name basis with my mom?"

"Oh you know," Tala replied flippantly, flopping onto Kai's bed. "Since last weekend when we-"

Kai laughed for the first time four days, picking up an errant pillow that was on his floor and flung it at Tala's head. Tala laughed too, accepting the blow to the face with an 'omph!'.

Settling down beside his best friend, Kai let out a heavy sigh. "So…I hate to ask…"

"Oh no you don't," Tala moaned wryly. "She's fine. Down, obviously, but she'll live, just like you will. You will be happy to know that Imoraz is sporting a broken nose and two black eyes."

Kai looked confused. "What? Why? What happened?"

Tala blinked. "You mean you don't know? You must have been out of it by then. Sanderson sucker punched him after he said something nasty about you and the witch." He sighed happily. "Aw man, I guess I'm going to have to be nice to her now that she's my best friend's sister. Shitty deal."

The blue haired teen snorted, shoving at Tala's shoulder. "You weren't nice to her when she was my girlfriend! Why the hell would her being my sister make any difference to you?" He laughed. "If anything it gives you even more prerogative. Don't you know that best friends are supposed to harass their friend's little sisters?"

The red head grinned, sitting up, his eyes flashing. "You make a valid point. Ahh, my life would be incomplete if I didn't harass Iki, I've been doing it for almost 18 years now."

Kai sobered, a wistful look on his face. Time flies, he thought with an inward sigh. It was amazing how your life could change in only an instant. How one moment in time could erase seventeen years of knowledge.

"Hey now," Tala said, slinging his arm over Kai's shoulder. "Ya gotta look on the bright side. Sure you lost a girlfriend, but you gained a sister to torment. And I know it hurts, but…" he hesitated, a frown marring his brow, "Now don't hurt me for saying this, but honestly I think you two will probably be better off in the long run."

"What do you mean?" Kai asked, confusion, but not anger flooding his voice.

"I mean," Tala sighed, "That I think if you stop to think about it, you and Iki really aren't all that compatible. What did you do most of the time you were together?"

That was an easy one. "Fight." Kai answered instantly, suddenly realizing where Tala was going with this.

"Exactly," Tala agreed. "After awhile you'd eventually destroy each other. I mean, you just worked out your problems, but it wouldn't last long and you know it. Something else would come up. You two are far too alike."

Tala made perfect sense, and Kai wondered why he hadn't seen it before. If he thought about it, all they really did was fight. Sure there were some good times, happy times, and he did love her…but sometimes she drove him insane! She was so contrary! Stubborn! Hot headed! He smiled a bit. Hiwatari.

"You're right," Kai chuckled with another heavy sigh. "You're right of course. Something would have driven us apart, and the road to that something would be painful. It's probably better that this happened; at least I don't lose her completely. As annoying as she is." He dropped back. That doesn't stop it from hurting though."

"Of course it doesn't," Tala fell back as well. "Only time can heal that pain. But soon it will go away. Besides, she's too stubborn to let something like this destroy her, and so are you. The pair of you is so hard headed. That's probably why you both are amazing captains."

"Heh, yeah. Hiwataris through and through eh?"

It was Tala's turn to snort. "Explicitly. Now come on, let's get on the phone and see what she's up to. It's only 6 right? Maybe she'll want to do something after she's done with the ass…Hey! We should drive to Denver!" Tala rolled his shoulders. "Sanderson's girlfriend went with her, they probably went to Denver. We could hook up with Sanderson and go partying or something. That's just what you need."

Kai shrugged. "Sure whatever." He smirked. Truth be told he was only too happy to get out.