Chapter Fourteen: Found

Kyo curled into a ball and cried. He was now hurting all over, and it was so incredibly dark. He normally wasn't scared of the dark, but there was usually some source of light coming from somewhere. There was none in this room. It was pitch black. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. If he kept his eyes closed he could pretend that when he opened there would be light, even if there wasn't. As long as his eyes were closed, he wouldn't have to face the darkness, and he wouldn't have to think about how this was all his fault. He never should have left home. He knew Shishou wasn't bother by his clinginess, and Shishou had told him millions of times that he wasn't a burden, so why hadn't he believed the man?

Because I killed Mom. She killed herself because I was such a burden and a freak. Even within the zodiac I'm a freak. But is Seth going to do to me? He said it might be days before he came back. How am I going to go the bathroom, or eat? I have to talk to Shishou somehow. I can't though. Seth will kill me if I leave the room. I don't even know if I could find my way to the door. How am I supposed to call Shishou if I can't get out of the room?

The child immediately stopped crying as he heard another sound in the room and saw the light coming through his closed eyelids. How had a light come on? Was Seth back? Did he want to find out? He cautiously opened his eyes, blinking. He could see that he was lying on the floor, inches from a dark blue wall. Kyo nearly screamed when a voice spoke from behind him. He sat up, whirled around, going over everything Shishou had taught him. Those left his brain as he saw who had spoke.

It was another child who looked to about a year older than he, about Yuki-kun's age. Kyo realized that the room had a light switch that the other child, a girl, had turned on. She had long, black hair hanging down to almost her butt. Kyo knew she was Asian, thankfully, and not some mean European like Seth. He knew thinking that was a little unfair to all the other Europeans, but he really hated Seth. She was wearing a dress that came down to her ankles, sandals, and a bracelet on her left hand.

"Seth got you to? Did you run away from home, or did he just decide to kidnap you?" Kyo blinked at the blunt questions, still staring at the girl. He was tracing the swirling designs on her dress with his eyes. The sleeves ended just above her elbows, the red material complimenting her skin tone. It had never occurred to him that he might not be only child Seth had taken and hurt. The girl had a huge bruise covering the left side of her face. He could also see bruises covering her arms.

"I ran away and Seth found me in a park. Did you run away to?" The last time he had told the truth he had landed here, but he didn't see how a girl in the same situation he was in could cause him any harm. She shook her head, her long swinging catching the light. Kyo noticed she had red streaks.

"I was in a big store and got separated from my parents. Seth found me and took me. My parents are looking for me. I saw the paper, and I was on the front page. Seth does this a lot. I stole the paper and brought it in here to read. My mother taught me how to read when I was six. It said that the police thought Seth was the person who was beating kids to death and then leaving them near hospitals for someone to find." Kyo could feel the blood leave his face. Seth did this a lot? He beat children to death and then disposed of the bodies for anyone to find? "I've been trying to think of a way to get out of here, and I almost have it, but it will take some more planning, and you'll have to very quiet so I can think, and hear when he leaves." Kyo instantly nodded, willing to do anything if it meant escaping Seth and this horrible place.

Kazuma glared over at Hatori, annoyed that he had a good point. He didn't care that he would be better if he ate something, and he that he could better search for Kyo. What if Kyo wasn't having breakfast? What if he had nothing to eat? "As a doctor, I am ordering you to eat." Kazuma rolled his eyes.

"Simply because you order me to eat doesn't meant that I will. I rarely follow your orders, and you know it." Hatori sighed quietly and shook his head.

"Yes, but that doesn't stop me from giving them anyway." Kazuma did eat a few spoons full of cereal, thinking. The police had no idea where Kyo might be. This man Seth, had never been caught and they had no known addresses. They were all supposed to go to apartments building and ask if anyone had seen him along with putting more flyers up with Kyo's picture on it. Kazuma desperately wanted to ask if anyone had seen Seth, but the police had said that it would be a bad idea to mention him. If he knew the police were looking for him, it would probably prompt him to kill Kyo and any other children he had with him before moving to another place. They needed to act as if they knew nothing about Seth while keeping an eye out for anyone who looked familiar.

Kazuma hadn't slept the night before and had only came back to the house when Shigure and Hatori had forced him into a cab. He had wanted to stay out and put up more flyers, but they wouldn't let him. They had tried to get him to sleep, but he couldn't do that. Kyo had always wanted him most at night, to tuck to him into bed and to reassure him that he was loved, and that he would never leave him, that he would always be there to protect. I've broken that promise. I can't protect him right now. I don't even know where he is. What if I never find him?

Kyo was silent, listening hard, still looking at the girl sitting across from him. The walls of the room were bare, there was no bed, and there was nothing on the floor save for some newspapers in the corner that were obviously meant to be their bathroom. There were two light in the ceiling and a lamp behind his companion. It occurred to him that he didn't even know her name. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he knew it had been a lot. It had been around noon when Seth had taken him, and he thought it was the next morning, but he couldn't be sure because the room had no window. He had gotten sleepy and slept for a little while, but woke up from a nightmare where Seth had beaten him to death. He had been confused when he woke up, wondering why Shishou wasn't there. Kyo had simply lay back down and cried until he was so tired he simply fell back asleep.

He didn't know what they were listening for, but it was obviously one of the most important things in his life. The girl had told him that they might be able to escape today, if things went as planned. Kyo's eyes snapped to the girl as he heard footsteps in the hall. Was this what they had been listening for? Was this good? Was someone going to get them? Her face was deathly pale. This was obviously not good, and not what they had been listening. She jumped up without a sound, turned off the light, and Kyo was plunged into darkness. He didn't know where she was, but he laid down again and pretended to be asleep. He had a feeling that Seth wouldn't be pleased if he was awake.

The children heard the doorknob turn, and held their breath. Kyo couldn't explain the terror gripping him. It might not even be Seth coming in the door. If it was him, maybe he was coming to get them out of the room so they could go somewhere else.

Kyo suddenly had an idea. If he could only find the girl in the dark, it would be risky, but right now it was their only chance. He didn't think he could get the girl out with him, but he would definitely send someone back to get her. He began to crawl forward slowly, but stopped as the doorknob stopped turning and he heard a voice, a masculine voice that he had heard so many, many, many time before in his life.

Kazuma nearly yelled with relief when someone recognized Kyo. "I saw he and a man go into an apartment building a couple of buildings down. The looked western, he definitely wasn't from Japan, tall, kind of blonde hair, and I remember them because the child's hair was such a unique color. My sister and I made a bet on whether or not it was natural."

"It's natural," Kazuma assured the woman as she gave a quiet yell of triumph. "So they went into a building about two buildings down?" The woman nodded.

"I've seen the man before, going in and out of there. I never have liked him. I thought he was a baby-sitter because he was always bringing in different kids with him, but now with your child missing, my bad feeling about him must have been right." Kazuma nodded absently already on the phone with the police.

"Will you mind talking to police? Your bad feeling was right. They believe this man is the one who beats children to death and then leaves them near hospitals to be found eventually by someone. And you've seen him going into the building with other children?" She nodded while inviting him inside. "About a month ago there were twin boys, a week after that a little girl, looked like she was American, and they last week there was a pretty little Asian girl, and then yesterday your little boy." Kazuma nodded, feeling sick. The police had said that the most he had ever kept a child was two weeks. The twins were gone, most likely the little American looking girl, but the Asian girl and Kyo still had a chance. He snapped out of his thoughts as the woman excitedly exclaimed, "There he is! See him, walking down the sidewalk right there." She pointed out her windows. Kazuma immediately looked there, remembering what the police had said. He was considered armed and dangerous and was not be approached no matter what. He was at the door when he wondered if the man really had a gun on him. It wouldn't do Kyo any good if he was shot and in the hospital. His tae kwon doe (spelling?) was no use against a gun.

He called the police again and told them that he had seen the man. They told him to try to keep an eye on him, but not to follow him. He was very observant and would probably realize that he was being followed. They were sending out squad cars to where they thought the man lived, one to where he was, and another unmarked car to follow Seth. If everything went right he would be in a jail cell is less than an hour. Kazuma nodded, reminding himself that it wasn't over.

Kyo blinked as the light came on, looking at the girl once again. "What's your name? Mine's Kyo." She looked at him, startled.

"My name's Sakura. You can call me Sakura-chan." Kyo nodded, liking the sound of her name.

"Can we get out of this room, and then out of the apartment?" She shook her head.

"The door's locked, and I have nothing to pick it with. I need something long and sharp, but there's nothing in this room. Do you have anything in the pack of yours?" Kyo shook his head, but emptied out the contents anyway. It had been about fifteen minutes since Seth had left, along with the voice. What he didn't understand was why Akito-san had been here. Did he know Seth? Had he sent Seth to capture him? Was he being punished for something again?

Kyo didn't think his cat claw would work and he was glad that he didn't try to transform earlier. His plan wouldn't have worked anyway. He looked around as sirens reached his ears. "Are there a lot of sirens around here?" Sakura shook her head, frowning.

"This is the first time I've heard them." Kyo nodded; glad to have something to distract him. It was another fifteen minutes, sirens still blaring, before anything happened. Kyo and Sakura-chan both screamed as someone began banging on the front door. Sakura immediately turned off the lamp and light. Kyo was scared to death. There was a lot of shouting and banging going on. He utter a soft cry as there was almighty crash and footsteps running around. As he listened closely, he heard his and Sakura's names being yelled. His eyes opened wide and he jumped up, going for the door.

"We're in here! Help! We're in here, please get us out!" He heard someone yelling order on the other side of the door.

"Kyo-chan? Sakura-chan?" The light was on again, and they were both at the door screaming and crying. "Step back from the door. I'm a police officer and we're going to break down the door, and then you can leave, okay?" Both children obediently scrambled away from the door. It took only two tries before the door was down and several men entered and scooped the children up. Kyo was so relieved to see someone with a kind face, someone to help him. Every child knew that if you were lost, you were supposed to go the police. He frantically began looking around as he recognized a voice he had been longing to hear for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality had only been a little over twenty-four hours.

Kyo spotted his surrogate, no his father's, concerned face in the crowd, yelling out the first thing that came to mind. "Daddy! Dad! Let me go, please, I want my dad!" Kazuma was already beside the police officer, tears streaming down his cheeks before Kyo could finish his sentence. The child launched himself into his father's arms, tears making their way down his own cheeks. He had never been happier to see his father as he was at that moment. Kyo buried his head in his father's neck, sobbing. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so, so, so sorry. I'll never run away again. I'm sorry."

Kazuma shushed the child's apology, squeezing him tight, rocking back and forth on the spot. He was never going to let go of him ever again. Seth had been arrested just as the police had broken down his apartment door.

Kazuma lifted one hand to pet the five-year-old's head, whispering non-sensible, soothing words into his orange hair. "You're okay, Kyo, it's okay now, everything's all right. I'm here, and everything is fine. You will never be away from me again, I promise. I love you more than anything else in the world."

Kyo clutched his father tighter as hearing the sobs in his voice. "I won't ever leave again, I promise. I love you too, Daddy." Kazuma smiled his widest smile ever. Daddy. He was now Daddy, after all these years of missing each other; they had finally found each other.

Author's Note: Very sappy, I know, but it's done and Kyo is safe and sound. Now who wants to guess why Akito was there? Anything could be right, because I don't know what he was doing there, truthfully. This will probably be the last chapter before school starts, and I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE. I will try next week, the first week of school, but I don't know. Our house will be finished the 20th or 21st, and they start painting next week. I'm supposed to work on it tomorrow. Also, my first cousin is getting married in Knoxville, about an 1 ½ to 2 hours away on the 19th, so I'm going to busy, and we have to go school shopping this weekend when there are no taxes for my state, so the next update may be a little while, but I think I know what I'm going to do so it could in a week or so. No promised. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS. You all get a BIG chocolate-chip cookie. gives cookie to all who reviewed PLEASE REVIEW!