Okay, here goes chapter three. It's K.C.'s turn now. It's time she gets some spotlight. She is a very important character.

As I said, I do not own Fushigi Yugi or the characters.

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Ch. 3 K.C's and Chi's Pieces

"Come on K.C. We can't just barge in like this," Chelsea said as she watched K.C. open the front door of Ashley's house with bravado.

"Sure we can. She's our friend," K.C. responded. "ASHLEY! Come out, come out wherever you are! Where are you?"

"I'm in the kitchen," a calm voice answered. K.C. waltzed down the grand hallway to the huge kitchen. Chelsea followed, a little nervous. Ashley might act calm, but she was probably holding a rolling pin at the ready to throw at them the moment they walked through the kitchen entry way. She didn't like being disturbed in the morning.

"Hey Ashley we're going to go see a movie want to come with…" K.C.'s voice faded and Chelsea let out a soft "Ooohhhh!". Ashley turned to face them. She planted her hands on her hips, a spatula hanging in one hand.

"What?" she demanded. Chelsea pointed at her, her eyes wide as saucers and her mouth in a small "o". Ashley looked down at herself. She knew her hair was a little messy (she tossed around a lot in her sleep), and all she had on was one of Tasuki's T-shirts.

"Nice outfit," K.C. commented. "Is that all there is to it?"

"I have underwear on of course," Ashley replied as she turned back to the stove.

"Hey Ashley, did Tama call yet?" a male voice sounded from the direction of the hallway leading to the upstairs rooms. Chelsea's mouth dropped wider as Tasuki walked in from the other doorway, red hair mussed. He wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Oh! Hey you guys! You're just in time for breakfast! Ashley makes some mean pancakes," he said giving them a fanged grin.

"Ashley!" Chelsea squeaked.

"Don't worry Chelsea, we didn't do anything," Ashley assured her as Tasuki came over. He wrapped his arms around her waist and peeked over her shoulder.

"Actually I thought it was kind of funny. She just brushed into my room, said all of her pajamas were in the dirty cloths, and walked off with my shirt." He nuzzled her neck.

"Nock it off Tasuki or Chelsea will die of a heart attack."

"I will not!" Chelsea huffed.

"Yes you will," K.C. laughed. "So how about it Ashley, come to the movies with us?"

"I'm sorry K.C but-"

"Of course she's going to go," Tasuki interrupted. He looked down at Ashley. "I'll handle the stuff here." Ashley smiled at him.

"Sit down you guys and I'll make you breakfast," she said to her friends.

K.C. and Chelsea made their way to the table. K.C. plopped herself down on the chair nearest the door. She slung her legs across the chair next to her. Chelsea raised an eyebrow but did not comment. When Ashley walked over with a plate piled high with pancakes she calmly knocked K.C.'s feet off the chair. After gathering some clean plates and silverware from the dish washer Ashley plopped herself down next to her friend.

"What movie are we going to see?" Ashley asked as she served herself some pancakes and passed the plate around.

"I was thinking Prom Night," K.C. answered.

"NO!" Chelsea shouted, jumping away from the table. Tasuki paused in buttering his pancake.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked. "What's wrong with that movie."

"She hates scary movies," K.C. answered.

"She shouldn't hate this one, it's not a scary one."

"Well then what is it?"

"A suspense."

Silence followed. Everyone watched as Ashley lathered her pancakes in butter and powedered sugar.

"You guys are in trouble. She is going to be hyper all day," Tasuki warned.

"Don't we know it," K.C. muttered, shaking her head. Chelsea sat back down. She was stuck watching the movie. And she knew it.

"Can we-"

"No."

...

It was dark by the time the group walked out of Applebees.

"Did you see the look on his face?" Ashley asked, laughing hysterically.

"I told you we shouldn't have let her have dessert," Chelsea muttered to K.C. K.C. shrugged and responded to Ashley.

"Why did you do that anyway?" she asked.

"I was returning from the bathroom, and I saw him making out with some chick different from the one he was sitting with. Then when I sit down, and he comes back, he starts kissing his date. I was angry. Then when I have to go again, I see him out in the parking lot tonguing a third girl! Then he comes back in and starts making on his date again. If I waited any longer he would have found some fourth chick and made out with her!"

"You are such a wonderful person," Chelsea commented.

"I know. It's one of my nicer quailities." Ashley responded dryly. After a moment of silence K.C. decided to ask the question that had been bugging her all day.

"So, Ashley, how long has Tasuki been with you?"

Chelsea stopped in the motion of opening the door to the passenger seat of K.C.'s car. Ashley halted. Chelsea bit her lip, as did K.C. Their friend looked up at them. A frown creased her face.

"I think it's been near three months," she told them calmly. Chelsea sighed inwardly, surprised. Ashley had changed a whole lot. "He's been so sweet. He cleans up the kitchen, since I cook. He washes his own sheets, cleans the house, cleans his own bathroom...and doesn't take advantage of me."

"Sounds like you've got it good," K.C. commented opening her door and getting into the car.

"Yeah," Ashley said dreamily with a sigh. "I do don't I?"

...

"Your dad is going to be pissed with captials all the way through," Chelsea said. K.C. shrugged.

"Let him be. It's not like he really cares about me anyways." They sat in silence for a while. "So how goes it with Tama boy?"

"You know just the ususal, we had sex last night and suprisingly it wasn't as bad as I though it wouold be. He's really good." Chelsea turned to see K.C. with a shocked expression on her face. Chelsea started to laugh and continued, '' K.C. you know that I said I would never have sex until I was married. Tamahome would never let me anyways, he's too much of a gentleman to do that... I hope. How about you and Chi?"

''Other than being my polar opposite? The same as you. Love him to death. He's taken my mind away from my father more times than I can count. He let me sleep over at his and Tama's house after that one fight with the old man. I have never seen him so mad. He was about ready to charge out of the house and go after the old bastard. I actually had to restrain him."

"Sounds like your affeting him as much as he's affecting you," Chelsea pointed out.

K.C. laughed.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

"It is, trust me. You have no idea how good of a thing it is."

...

It was late when K.C. finally pulled into her driveway. She gripped the steering-wheel of her car in her hands as her heart leapt into her mouth. Her fingers turend white, the thudding of her heart loud in her ears.

"K.C.! Where the hell have you been?!" She looked up from the wheel to see her father on the front porch, fists on his hips. Had she been able to see his face she knew it would have been purple. "You get in this house right now!"

"No," she whispered. "I won't let you yell at me, not when you should have payed attention. You want to know where I've been check your cell-phone." She thrust the stick into reverse and pealed out of the driveway, tires screeching. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out where to stay. Tama was at Chelsea's house and Tasuki was staying with Ashley. She couldn't intrude.

The name of a single person slammed into her mind. Without a second thought she made a crazy U-turn.

...

"Chi?" Chichiri looked up startled. He put his book down and stood up.

"K.C.? What's wrong? What happened?" He went to her, wrapped his arms, and pulled her close against him. "Did you get into another fight with your dad.?" K.C. shook her head.

"I didn't even give him a chance. I wasn't going to let him shout at me for something he should have payed attention to." She pulled away from him, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Are talking about today? What do you mean he didn't pay attention? You told him you were going out right?"

"Yes. I left a note on the table and a message on his phone." She wiped at the tears that were now streaming down her face. Why was she crying? She was stronger than this. Her dad didn't yell at her, she didn't have to fight with him. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked.

"Of coure you can. Just get one my shirts and a pair of shorts. You know where they are." He kissed her on the forehead before letting her make her way upstairs. As K.C. disappeared from view he leaned against the wall and thought. He wondered how long she and her father had been at odds, yelling and screaming and hating. Decision made he picked up the phone and dialed Ashley's number.

"How is K.C.?" Chi's sentence from in his mouth. He hated it when she did this.

"How did you know she was here?" he asked, smiling.

"Let's just call it my sixth sense. So?"

"She's fine, though crying up a storm. I have a feeling of what it's about. Can I ask you a question?"

"Feel free. About?"

"How long K.C. and her dad have been fighting?"

"Since her mom died, about seven years ago. Her dad kind of lost interest in her, not really caring where she is until she gets home late at night, not caring who she's with unless he actually sees them, not caring, not caring, not caring. But I honestly must say she was no help in the situation. She often did stuff to make it worse. Yes they were cries for attention, but not the attetention she wanted. She wants to see him smile at her, not hear him screaming at her. She sort of gave up on him...never really gave him a chance actually, if you know what I mean."

Chi paused as an eerie feeling creeped across his shouldars. He shook it off as he reminded himself that K.C. probably said that to Ashley and Chelsea many times before, crying over the fight that did or did not happen. During the silence Chi heard Tasuki's voice in the background. He was calling to Ashley, asking him to join him in watching something about sharks. His voice was gentle as he spoke to her, a sound Chi hadn't heard in a long time. Ashley really helped Tasuki, without even knowing it. It was time he returned the favor.

"Thanks Ashley. How has Tasuki been?"

"Real good, and you're welcome. I've gotta go. You'll take care of K.C. for me?"

"With my heart."

"You sure are a sweet guy Chichi. I'll see you tommorrow." And with that, Ashley hung up. Chi put up the phone, then waited patiently for K.C. to come down from upstairs. When she did he was sitting on the couch, a serious look on his face. He waited patiently as she sat down next to him, resting her head on his shouldar. When she was settled he pulled her onto his lap, kissing her forehead.

"K.C. we need to talk," he whispered. He felt her stiffen, and held her close to reassure her. "You know how you said you never gave your dad a chance?" K.C. relaxed, but not a whole lot. She didn't like where this conversation was going. "That can work two ways. True you didn't give him a chance to yell at you, but you also lost another chance to talk to him. And I think that's why you're crying. It was another chance where you could have listened to him, let him vent, then when he was finished, talk to him."

"You're taking his side?" K.C. snarled weakly, struggling against him. "If I knew you were going to do that I wouldn't have come. I wouldn't have stayed!" Chi held her tightly.

"Will you let me finish?" he snapped. "That's your problem K.C. you never let anyone talk to you. You're so quick to judge and make assumptions. You know what K.C.? You're scared. Your scared of what the truth behind the matter might be. But you're going to face that fear, if I have to drag you to it. What I was going to say, before you interuppted me, was that he was going to listen to you too. Maybe not right after you talked, but afterwards. If you continued to talk to him, continued to believe in him like you did with Ashley and Chelsea, you wouldn't have faught for all these years. If you hadn't given up on him you would be with him now, talking and eating dinner together."

K.C. stilled, and the tears came stronger. No one had talked to her like that. She had always thought that Ashley would have done it, considering all the looks she'd gotten from her friend. But no. The one the words had come from was Chi. Now she knew what Chelsea meant when she said that she had been rubbing off on Chi. The words he said would have been ones that would have come out of her mouth. And Chelsea was right...it was a good thing.

"Thank you Chi," she whispered, wrapping her arms arounde his neck and kissing him. "Thank you for telling me the truth. And I will talk to him, tommorrow. I'll talk to him, and I'll hope, and I'll believe." She kissed him again, running her fingers through Chi's hair. "I'm going to bed. A long day lies ahead."

Chi smiled at her. "I'll be there," he said to her. She grinned then stood up. As she walked to the stairs, she paused and said, "Maybe it's not such a bad thing that I never talked to him. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have had all those nights with you. I wouldn't have had the chance to be stronger, the chance to be guided, to be shown I'm not as strong as I think I am."

...

"Come on Ashley. We can't just barge in like this," Chelsea said as she watched Ashley open the front doors of Chichiri's house with bravado.

"Sure we can. They're our friends," Ashley responded. She waltzed into the living room, strutting over to Chi, who sat awake on the couch, TV remote in his hand. She promplty moved Chi's elbows from his knees, sat herself on her lap, and put his arms around her lap. "Where's K.C.?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck playfully.

"I'm sure you know, little psychic," he replied smiling. He pulled her close and leaned back against the couch, gazing at the TV. Chelsea walked into the living room. She rolled her eyes with a small grin on her face.

"You talked to her last night?" Ashley asked. Chi nodded, squeezing her waist. She smiled, pecked him on the cheek, popped up off the couch, and ran up the stairs. Chi laughed the went into the kitchen. He pulled out two glasses and a carton of orange juice, pouring it into the glasses. As Chelsea walked in he handed her the glass.

"I see you're guy's relationship is as strong as ever," she commented as she took a sip.

"As good as your's and Tasuki's," Chi replied. He took a swallow of the juice, then left it on the counter. "So I take it this is what she meant when she said she would see me tommorrow?"

"Actually this is only half. She came over to invite you guys to go clubbing with us." Chelsea looked out the kitchen window. "Tasuki and Tama are waiting outside." Chi followed her gaze.

"Sorry," he said softly, we've got plans."

Chelsea looked at him questioningly. Before she could say something Ashley popped into the kitchen, K.C. behind her.

"Come on Chelsea. We'll meet them at the club. They're going to talk to K.C.'s dad." Ashley walked over to Chi and kissed his lips. "See ya later lover." She turned and walked over to K.C. "See you later as well. And wear that outfit you wore last time we went, you know, the booty shorts and really small shirt that might as well have been not there at all." K.C. glared and smacked her hard on the shouldar. Ashley laughed and ran from the room, K.C. close behind. Chi looked at Chelsea, a look of shock on his face.

"Don't ask," Chelsea whispered. She walked from the room, opening the front door in time for Ashley to dash past to the car. She hopped and closed the door, waving for Chelsea to hurry. K.C. stopped at the doorway fuming.

"I hate her," she growled. Chelsea laughed.

"I do too. I'll see you at the club. Good luck with your dad."

...

K.C. stared at the door to her house, taking deep even breaths. She looked over her shouldar to the car where Chi sat, waiting patiently. He waved her on, giving a smile of encouragement, a tender look in his eyes. She gave a weak grin back. Gathering her courage she opened the door and stepped inside. She could hear the TV going, and when she walked into the den, she saw her dad on the couch, hands clenched into fists.

"Dad," she called. "I'm sorry." He turned to look at her. She just stood there, looking into his eyes, waiting for his bellows. She watched as her dad took deep breaths...calming breaths.

"Come sit down," he said in an even voice. "We have some talking to do."

A couple of hours later, outside in the car, Chi's cell-phone buzzed cheerily in his pocket. He read the ID before answering. "You have something to do with the no yelling," he said with a smile.

"I believe the discussion went well?"

Chi watched as father and daughter hugged. "Yes, it did. You know, you could have let it go it's own pace."

Ashley's smiling voice came throught the phone with a loving tone, "True. But I wanted to her to have some light in the dark."

...

School's out and summer has started! That's where my story is headed. SUMMER! Sizzling romance (my friends told me only between a certain couple...take your guess), heated fights, some confusion, and a show up of another OC and two more Fushigi Yugi characters.

Please review. And have a great summer.