Hello everyone!~!~!~!~! I'm sorry this update is late, although technically it isn't because I didn't have to post this week, but I promised it, so it really is my fault and I am rambling. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! These reviews really put me in the mood to write! I just wanted to announce that anonymous reviews are on for those who don't have accounts, so I expect more reviews, heehee~~

I don't own Shugo Chara!

X

Saaya unpacked her bags and skipped downstairs happily, delighted to see that Tadase was home.

"Tadase!" She jumped into his arms and squeezed him tightly. The blonde chuckled and hugged her back, kissing her on the top of her head. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too. How was America?" He unbuttoned his jacket and loosened his tie.

"It was beautiful! I have some souvenirs for you and a bunch of pictures to show you!"

"Now, now, Saaya. Let's eat dinner first, hmm?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Go get Amu, hon. She didn't come down yet."

"I'll go bring her down after I wash up for dinner."

"Saaya, you come over here and tell Mom what happened while I cook dinner, okay?"

"Okay!"

Saaya launched into a tale of how she arrived and what had happened. As Tadase went up the staircase, her voice slowly drifted off. He threw open Amu's door, smiling a little to see her squeak in shock.

"What are you doing?"

Amu hid her hands behind her back quickly, her eyes darting around frantically for an answer. She was still wearing her pajamas; she was a mess.

"I-I-"

Tadase snatched her wrist from behind her back and stared at what she was holding. Amu was looking away fearfully, a small tremor running through her body. Her other hand was guarding her chest carefully and she refused to meet his eyes. In her hand was a makeup brush and a concealer. He dropped her hand unceremoniously.

"Good. Get used to using that. I'll give you $20 if you need more."

Amu nodded slowly, still looking at the floor. Tadase advanced towards her and lifted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Come down for dinner, okay Amu? And change out of your pajamas." His tone had instantly changed brighter, a voice Amu hadn't heard for a while. He gave her a quick hug before walking out the door and into his own room.

Amu let out the sigh she was holding and tried to keep herself from shaking. She quickly turned to the mirror and finished putting the makeup on, hiding her bruises and cuts. She rolled up her sleeves and applied liberal amounts to her forearms. Just in case.

As soon as Amu was done, she changed into something nicer and headed downstairs, afraid that if she didn't, Tadase would punish her.

Amu was surprised to see a mass of curly brown hair downstairs and quickly tried to remember who she was. Did Tadase invite someone?

"Hi," the girl said, waving.

"H-hello."

"Remember me? Saaya!"

Amu forced a large smile onto her face and nodded until she felt like her head would fall off.

"Of course! Tadase's younger sister. Are you back from America?"

"Well, duh. Silly Amu, why do you think I'm here?" Amu nervously laughed and rubbed the back of her head.

"O-of course. Silly me."

Saaya turned to the table without a response and a torrent of stories came flooding out. Amu quietly settled herself into a seat, feeling lost. Tadase arrived and sat next to Amu, squeezing her hand tightly, in what she realized was supposed to be reassurance. Dinner began.

"So, Amu, why do you wear so much makeup?" Saaya asked, chewing her food loudly and rudely.

Amu froze in shock, not sure what to say.

"I-I-"

"Whatever." Saaya cut in, but Amu didn't miss the word 'slut' that she muttered under her breath. She blushed a bright red but wordlessly continued eating.

Yuuki. Tadase. Her punishers.

What was Saaya?

X

Ikuto walked into his English classroom the next day, relieved to see Amu slumped over on her desk. He approached her carefully and knocked on the underside of the table, making her shoot up in alarm.

"Hey. Can you make it today? Because you weren't here yesterday."

"I-I-I… um…." Amu rifled through her bag and quickly dug out a wad of papers. "Here. You can bring it back to me tomorrow. Bye." She turned away from him immediately and began writing on something.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. Bye."

Ikuto raised an eyebrow but shrugged and walked away; it wasn't really his problem. Did she always wear that much makeup? He shrugged once more and began reading her writing but stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"U-um. Ikuto…" He looked up and smiled to see Saaya standing in front of him, holding a paper and a pencil.

"You need help?"

"Y-yes please."

"Okay, so here you just have to…"

X

Amu stared down at her phone. It was inevitable. She would have to go to Ikuto's house, one day or another if she wanted to finish the project successfully. She dialed Tadase's number slowly, fear slowly creeping into her system. She pressed call and the phone began to hum.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

"Hello?"

"H-Hi, Tadase. I-I need to go to Ikuto's house tomorrow…" Amu held her breath, waiting for a response.

"Of course you can go, honey. But you know what to expect tonight." A wave of fear flooded her mind. Amu felt large hands on her body all over again and she stopped breathing.

"I-I-"

"Bye." The phone clicked off abruptly and a deep pit of hopelessness filled her.

Was there any way to avoid this? Somewhere deep inside of her, she realized the answer was no. She couldn't.

Amu's phone vibrated and she looked down to see a text from Ikuto.

From: Ikuto

Hey. Sorry to bother you, but we really need to meet up for this English thing. Is tomorrow okay?

She quickly typed a response.

To: Ikuto

Yeah, it should be fine. Sorry about today.

Amu threw her phone onto her bed and placed her head on her knees. She had to prepare herself for what was coming tonight.

X

Amu picked at her food during dinner, her stomach churning at the thought of the approaching night.

"What's wrong? Don't like the food?" Tadase asked, rubbing a hand down her back. She jumped in fright and shook her head furiously.

"N-no. I love it! I-I'm just… um… I don't have an appetite today."

Yuuki snorted.

"Ungrateful bitch."

Amu flinched and took a quick bite of her food, chewing it quickly before swallowing.

"Mom, let's be civilized," Saaya said, sighing. Yuuki rolled her eyes and jabbed her in the stomach.

"Saaya, I'm the adult here."

Amu rapidly finished her food and stood up to put her plate away. Soon, the whole "family" was finished and Amu cleaned the table. She began washing the dishes slowly, trying to stall.

"I'll be upstairs first, okay?" Tadase called.

"O-okay!"

"Hurry so you can come up!"

"O-okay!"

Amu dragged the scrub over the dishes, wiping them slowly and leisurely. She would give anything to avoid Tadase right now. She tried to think happy thoughts, and tried to conjure images of puppies and kittens. The classic.

A pair of arms wrapped around her arms and she jerked away water splashing onto the perpetrator's face. A pair of blood red eyes stared at her in anger.

"You better hurry the fuck up if you want to go to school tomorrow. And I'm only allowing you to see Ikuto until you finish the fucking project. Okay?" Amu nodded feebly. "Okay?!" he barked. She flinched and nodded faster. "Good. Get up as soon as you're done. You better be done in ten minutes or else." He smacked her head once and she whimpered but said nothing. Amu bowed her head down and waited for his footsteps to fade away before raising it. She wiped away the sudden tears and quickly returned to washing the dishes, keeping an eye on the time.

The faster the better; her punishment would (hopefully) be less severe. She carelessly flung the last plate onto the racket and dried her hands on her shirt before rushing upstairs.

Outside the door, Amu tried to soothe her frayed nerves; she didn't know what to expect.

She pushed his door open slowly and Tadase swiveled around, eyes darkening at the sight of her.

"Shut the door."

Amu obediently shut it and waited for his next instructions, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Come over here."

She crept over, her hands already beginning to shake uncontrollably.

"Get on your knees."

Amu froze. Was this really going there?

"I said, get on your fucking knees!"

Tadase pulled her by her pink locks and threw her onto the floor.

"Get on your knees."

Amu desperately scrambled about, getting onto her knees. She placed her quaking hands on her knees in an effort to stop them. Amu felt something hard hit her face and she paled, feeling sicker than before.

"Open your mouth."

She shivered and tried to look up, but found that her own head was refusing to obey her. A hand slapped her across the face brutally.

"Open your fucking mouth, you fucking slut. Do you not understand?"

Tadase grabbed her rosey hair and pulled her head straight up, earning a cry from her throat. He saw her cringe at the sight before her and roughly threw a punch at her head. She cried out again.

"Suck."

Amu opened her mouth slowly and took him into her mouth. Tears were glimmering in her rich, honey colored eyes. He kicked her in the stomach.

"Hurry the fuck up, bitch. I haven't got all day."

She reluctantly began to suck and he moaned in pleasure, bucking into her mouth. Tears were freely sliding down her pale cheeks by now. He pulled her closer to him and she gagged but he released, nonetheless.

"Swallow." He commanded ruthlessly.

She shook her head and he slapped her.

"If you want to go, swallow!"

Tadase heard a gulp and he tossed her onto the ground. He zipped up quickly. Amu lay on the floor pathetically, silently sobbing. He grabbed her by the wrist and harshly dragged her to the door.

"Go do your work or something, bitch."

He opened the door and pushed her out before slamming the door shut.

Amu slowly hobbled back to her room, coughing and spluttering. Her stomach gave a sickening lurch when she reached her door and she rushed inside to the bathroom. She leaned over the toilet seat, emptying the contents of her stomach into the bowl. She washed her mouth out in the sink after flushing and washed her face carefully, removing all traces of makeup. Amu cringed at the dark bruises spotting her face. She would have to go buy makeup tomorrow.

X

Saaya rushed upstairs after dinner, excited to text Ikuto. She quickly opened her phone and typed his name in as the recipient but hesitated.

What would she say?

To: Ikuto

Hii. This is Saaya (:

No. She seemed like a 5th grader.

Hi, this is Saaya.

That seemed good. But what would be her excuse. No—she was a friend who just wanted to say hi. What would be so awkward about that?

I just wanted to say hi, a little bored haha.

That would be good. She nervously sent the message and stared at the screen intently. No response. Her eyebrows knit together in frustration.

Tomorrow. She'd talk to him face to face tomorrow.

X

Ikuto lay in his bed, arms stretched behind his head.

Amu.

He had texted her earlier about the project and she had agreed to come for the project the next day. And then she never replied to his next text, "Are you okay?"

He groaned and dug his face into his pillow.

Not too close.

He would have to kill her.

X

A/N:I don't know if I can post next week because school starts and next week is very busy because of that, but I'll definitely try.
30 reviews as a goal guys! The last time really shocked me, you exceeded my goal considering that even though it was 25, I was sort of lying because the rate of reviews is pretty slow. Thanks for reading guys~~~~ Lots of cookies for those who review!
Comments? Questions?
Review!