She suddenly began to feel warm and dizzy. She collapsed.
"Jenifer!" he cried.
He ran and caught her just before she hit the ground.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked in a rush.
She nodded and tried to sit up. She fell back into Yuhi's arms, her strength gone. She then felt a cool hand on her forehead.
"Jen you're burning up!"
"I'm fine." She whispered.
He ignored her and grabbed his cell phone.
"Suzumi? I'm bringing Jenifer over." He said.
"Why? What happened?" Suzumi asked.
"She collapsed and is burning up. I think she's getting sick. Send a driver to…"
"Yuhi, I'm fine" Jen said.
He ignored her, told Suzumi the address and hung up.
"I'm fine Yuhi. You don't need to take care of me."
"Jen, I'm not going to argue with you. You're coming to my place and that's final. Mark can come too."
"But…"
"No arguing."
She knew it was the end of the discussion. He picked her up (bridal style) when the car showed up and got in. She fell asleep shortly after.
"Jen, you need to take it easy." He thought. "I know you can pull through this. I just know it."
They stopped and picked up Mark on the way to Yuhi's house.
"What's wrong with her?" Mark asked worriedly when he saw his sister.
"She just tired." Yuhi said smiling.
Mark looked similar to his sister. He had the same chestnut brown hair, but instead of sapphire blue eyes, his were blue-green.
"Where are we going?" Jen's little brother asked.
"To my house. You guys are going to spend the night."
"Okay."
Soon they arrived at the Aogiri's house. Yuhi carefully carried Jenifer in and laid her down. He showed Mark where to sleep, then went and talked to Suzumi.
"What's she been up to lately?" Suzumi asked.
"Her mom died." Yuhi whispered.
"That must have crushed her."
"She stayed in her mom's room for days without eating. I had to force her to eat. She also has a job. She sings under a false name and wears contacts. She said she's dropping out of school for Mark."
"Convince her not to drop out. You did it before."
"She won't even listen. She said she's done trying."
There was a pause.
"What do we do now, Suzumi? She won't listen to us. We can't just let her drop out."
"Let's make sure she's well first. Then we can try and talk reason into her."
"I hope she listens."
The next morning, Jen slowly opened her eyes. Realizing she wasn't in her own home, she sat straight up and looked around. She placed a hand on her head and the other behind to hold her up.
"What's wrong with me?" She whispered to herself. "Where am I?"
"Oh, you're awake."
She turned abruptly and saw Yuhi holding a tray of food.
"Yuhi? Wha…"
"Lay down. You still have a slight fever." He said pushing her gently back down. "Now you need to eat. Please don't fight me this time."
"Yuhi, I'm not hungry."
"Come on. Eat. It's the only way you'll get better. You really had Mark worried."
"Mark?!" Jen said sitting up again. "Where is he? How is he?"
"Calm down. He went to school." He told her pushing her back down again. "Now eat."
"I need to get home."
She tried getting up, but Yuhi's arm stopped her.
"You're sick. I'm not letting you leave until you're well."
"Yuhi, I…"
He put some food in her mouth. She saw there was no point in fighting him and ate.
"At least she's stopped fighting." He thought.
After she ate, Yuhi left for school leaving her alone. She sighed and rolled on her side. The last time she had stayed in bed like this was when her mother was still alive and well. Just thinking about her brought tears to Jenifer's eyes.
Mrs. Amicitia was like no one else. Jenifer was often told she looked like her mother. Her mother was kind and loving. Her sapphire blue eyes shone with pride and excitement every time her children used Latin. Mrs. Amicitia loved Latin. Also, most of the family heritage was written in Latin. She said that it was written in Latin to keep strangers from knowing family secrets. It was always passed down through the family by the parents teaching their children Latin. Since before Jen could remember, she was always taught Latin. That's why when her mother didn't respond to Latin, it was a shock and she knew that her mom was dead. It was horrible seeing her usually energetic mother motionless and her chestnut brown hair usually in a neat braid, askew. Tears began to flow silently from Jenifer's eyes. She could still remember clearly the summer before her mom got sick.
Jenifer and her mom sat on a cliff looking out over the beach. Mrs. Amicitia was gently braiding her daughter's long hair. At the end of the braid, she (Jen's Mother) gently tied a rose.
"Gratias tibi, Mom." Jen said leaning back.
"I can't believe my prava puella is growing up so fast. It seems like just yesterday you were trying to say mater."
"Well, I do have the best teacher."
Jenifer's mother smiled. Then she began to sing.
"Would you dance if I asked you to dance? Would you run and never look back? Would you cry if you saw me crying? Would you save my soul tonight?"
Jen smiled and joined her mother's song.
"Would you tremble it I touched your lips? Would you lie? Oh please tell me this. Now would you die for the one you love? Hold me in your arms tonight. I can be your hero, baby. I can kiss away the pain. I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away."
"Mom, you will always be my hero."
"And you are my little hero."
They hugged.
Jen felt the tears run down her cheeks slowly soaking the pillow.
"Semper memoria tenebo, mater. Semper." She whispered as sleep took over.
The next few days, Jenifer and Mark stayed with Yuhi getting well. Finally, they let her go home. Jen, Mark, and Yuhi drove to her house.
"See you at school tomorrow." Yuhi said as he left.
"I'm not going."
Yuhi looked back once, the disappointment clear on his face, then left.
"Jenifer, I will get you to school one way or another." He thought. "I won't let you throw everything away."
The next morning, Jenifer got up and took a shower. She then put on her house coat and got Mark ready for school. Shortly after her little brother left, there was a knock on the door. She went and answered the door.
"Ready for school, Jen?" Yuhi asked.
"Yuhi, what are you doing?" Jen asked.
"I'm here to take you to school."
"I told you, I'm dropping out of school. I'm needed here. I have to clean the house."
"The house you've already scrubbed spotless?"
"That's not true. I haven't touched my mom's room yet."
"Come on. You're coming to school."
He began pushing her to her room.
"Yuhi knock it off."
"You are going to school."
He pushed Jen into her room and shut the door.
"You're not coming out until you're ready for school." He said.
"Yuhi Aogiri let me out!" She shouted.
"Not until you're ready for school."
"Argh!" She said in annoyance.
Realizing she had no choice, Jenifer got dressed and quickly braided her wet hair.
"I'm ready. Now let me out."
Like magic, the door opened.
"'Bout time. Now let's go."
Yuhi grabbed her arm and pulled her to the waiting car.
"Your bag is already in the car."
"You planned this, didn't you?"
He gave her an innocent expression and they were off towards school. School seemed to go pretty quickly. At lunch, Yuhi brought a girl over to you.
"Jen, this is Aya." He introduced.
"Hi, Aya." Jen replied softly.
"Hiya!" Aya said. "I'm pleased to meet you."
"She's been living with us for a little while now." He explained.
"Oh, you're a new student?" Jen asked Aya.
"Yeah."
"When did you start?"
"A few days ago."
"Oh I see. That's during the time I wasn't coming to school."
"Why not?"
Aya took the seat a crossed from Jen.
"Why are you so nosy?" Yuhi asked taking the seat between them.
"Yuhi, its okay. She's just curious. I don't mind answering her questions."
"Yeah, but what about that saying? What is it again? Curiosity…umm…"
"Curiosity killed the cat? I highly doubt anything I about me could hurt Aya."
Then Jenifer turned to Aya.
"I was going to drop out so there was no point in going."
"Why drop out?"
"After my Mom died, I didn't see the point. I was just going to stay home where I belonged. Then I got sick and today a certain friend of mine forced me to come today." Jen said shooting Yuhi a faked angry glance.
"I'm sorry to hear about your Mom."
"It's okay. There's nothing anyone could have done to prevent her death. I just regret not telling her te amo one last time."
"Te amo?" Aya questioned.
"Sorry, it's Latin."
"You speak Latin? I thought it was a dead language. "
Jenifer was silent for a moment.
"I'm gonna let that slide. You're new, a friend of Yuhi's, and I really don't want to make it look like I'm on a debate team."
"She can get really touchy about Latin." Yuhi whispered to Aya.
"I've been taught Latin my entire life. It plays a huge role in my family. My history is written in Latin, so it's crucial that I learn how to speak, read, write, and translate it. Te amo means I love you. I regret not being able to tell my Mom that I love her one last time."
"Sorry. I didn't mean…"
"I know. Yes, I may be…overly defensive about Latin, but can you really blame me?"
No one answered.
"Come on. Let's head to class." Jen said softly.
They all got up and began walking to class.
"Hey, Amicitia! Can I talk to you for a minute?" A classmate called.
"I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." Jen said and went to her classmate. "What is it Phil?"
"Did you understand problem 4 on the math assignment today?"
"Yeah it was pretty easy."
"Can you show me?"
"Sure."
He lead the way to a near by empty classroom. She went straight to the chalkboard. She was about to start writing, when Phil turned her around and kissed her. Shocked, she pushed him away. The shock soon turned to anger. With one swift movement, Jenifer slapped him.
"Jerk!" She shouted. "Non compos mentis!"
She turned and stormed out of the room. Not long after, she huffed passed Yuhi and Aya.
"Hey Jen. Glad to see you…" Yuhi began then she kept walking.
"What's wrong with her?" Aya asked.
"Jen what happened?" he asked catching up to her.
"Non compos mentis." Jen muttered.
"Jen, I can't understand Latin."
She turned and her anger turned to surprise.
"Oh hi, Yuhi."
"What's got you all in a huff?" Aya asked. "You walked right passed us and didn't say anything."
"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you."
"So why are you so ticked?" Yuhi asked.
"That idiot asked me to show him a math problem and tried to pull a fast one. I slapped him."
"What does non…?" Aya asked.
"Non compos mentis?"
"Yeah."
"It means not of sound mind. The legal term for insanity. I yelled that at him after calling him a jerk."
"Wow. I didn't know you had it in you." Yuhi said.
"I'm not completely defenseless, you know."
The rest of the day went by rather quickly. The next Aya, Jenifer, and Yuhi sat together at lunch again. Yuhi left for a little while.
"So Aya, why, if you don't mind me asking, did you come to live with the Aogiri's?"
Aya sat a moment pondering how to respond.
"My family…turned their back on me because of something in our heritage. The Aogiri's took me in."
"That's horrible. Family should stick together no matter what. Nothing else except the fact that you are family should matter. Family unbreakable bond. Without family, we have nothing."
"That's not true. We still have friends."
"What are friends?"
Yuhi began to approach the lunch table when her heard Aya and Jenifer talking. He stopped and listened.
"What do you mean what are friends?" Aya asked. "Friends also have an unbreakable bond. Isn't Yuhi your friend?"
He listened closely at the sound of his name.
"He is. My best friend to be exact…my only friend." Jenifer replied.
"Then who can you ask what a friend is?"
"If someone is a real true friend, then they are no longer a friend. They are part of your family."
There was a moment of silence. Aogiri was about to walk over when Jen spoke up again.
"Yuhi is the best friend I could have ever hoped to meet. He's like a brother to Mark and a mix between a brother and a Dad to me. He picked me up in my hardest time. He, Suzumi, Mrs. Q, and now you, Aya, are like family to me."
"Who's Mark?"
"Oh, Mark is my little brother. You'd love him. I've been told he looks like me."
"How old is he?"
"He's 8 years old. I'm sure you two would get along."
"I'd love to meet him."
Hearing that the conversation had turned lighter, Yuhi came out of hiding and walked over to the girls.
"Hey, Yuhi." Amicitia greeted him.
"What took you so long?" Aya asked.
"Nothing."
Jen looked at him knowing that there was something he wasn't telling her. She shook her head.
"Anyway, why don't you guys come to my house after school? Mark would be thrilled to see you again, Yuhi, and he would be delighted to meet you, Aya." Jen said excited.
"Sure." He said.
"I'd love to meet Mark." Aya said.
"Great! I can't wait."
The rest of the day flew by. Before she knew it, Jen was leading the way to her house.
"Mark, I'm home!" She called opening the door.
"Jenny!" He cried running up to her and giving her a hug.
"Mark you remember Yuhi, don't you?" Jen asked hugging him back.
He let go and saw Yuhi.
"Hey buddy." Yuhi said and held out his hand for a high five.
Mark eagerly slapped it.
"Gratias tibi for helping Jenny get better."
"You're welcome…I think."
Jen laughed.
"Gratias tibi means thank you." She explained.
"Oh." Yuhi said.
"Mark this is my new friend, Aya."
He bowed and smiled sweetly.
"I'm very pleased to meet you, Aya." He said.
"I'm very pleased to meet you too, Mark."
They all sat and talked for awhile. Then Aya and Yuhi left. A few weeks later, Jenifer was called to work. She dressed and said bye to Mark. That night, instead of her usual boss, it was a new guy.
"Venus you're on!" He said.
She went on stage after her introduction and scanned the audience. She spotted Yuhi, Aya, Suzumi, and Mrs. Q. She smiled.
"Tonight I will be singing "Only Hope". Please enjoy."
She nodded and the music began.
Back at home, Mark worked on finishing a card for his sister. He was about to sign his name, when the door bell rang. He wrote his name and went to see who was there. He didn't recognize the men and didn't answer it. He went to go touch up his coloring when the door was knocked down.
Back with Jenifer, she was singing extremely well.
"So I lay my head back down and I lift my hands and pray to be only yours I pray to be only yours I know now you're my only hope."
Mark looked at the men shocked.
"Who…who are you?" He asked.
"We have some questions. Where is your sister?" One man said.
Mark didn't answer.
"Answer us kid." Said another one and pushed him.
"What do you want?" Mark asked from the ground.
"Tell us where she is!"
One of the men turned over the small book case near Mark.
"N…never! I won't tell you anything!"
"Then you are of no use to us." Said the first man.
Another man pulled out a gun and aimed at Mark. He looked up at the man terrified.
"Jenifer!" Mark yelled.
Jen began to get into the music.
"I give you my…"
"Jenifer" She heard Mark scream in her head.
She stopped singing. Suddenly, she passed out.
A/N: Here is the Latin translations.
Gratias Tibi: Thank you
Parva Puella: Little girl
Semper memoria teneo, Mater. Semper: I will always remember you, Mother. Always.
um...disclamier: I do not own rights to Ayashi no Ceres or Only hope.