Harpygirl91- Well here's the second chapter!! This is a very sad chapter so I recommend tissues or a handkerchief. Oh and everybody's eight years old in this chapter!!!
Chapter 2: Tragedy
Keiko stared at the television as the phone dropped from her hands. She had just been in the middle of talking to Sachiko about letting Hotaru stay the weekend with the Yagami family while watching the Saturday morning news. As the news reporter went through his daily story of the weather and local news he had announced that a criminal convicted of spousal abuse was being released after five years of imprisonment.
"Keiko-san, what is it?" Sachiko asked as Keiko shakily picked up the phone.
"He was released." Keiko stated with her voice shaking.
"Who?" Sachiko said confused.
"They released my ex-husband from jail." Keiko said hurriedly," Sachiko-san, what am I going to do? I know that he will come after me and Hotaru!!!"
"I'll talk to my husband and see what we can do." Sachiko suggested," You can just have Hotaru stay with us until you think it is safe."
"No." Keiko stated bluntly," I'll see if the Arisawas will let Hotaru stay with them since she is Tatsuki-chan's friend. Soichi might suspect that Hotaru will be staying with you and your family. I will ask Kurosaki-san if I can stay with them to throw off any suspicion of me being connected to the Yagami family."
"Kaa-san, what's wrong?" Hotaru asked as she walked into the kitchen sleepily.
"Gomen nasai Sachiko-san but Hotaru's awake and I have to tell her what's going on." Keiko whispered before hanging up," Ohayo, Hotaru."
"Ohayo Kaa-san!" Hotaru said happily smiling in her panda bear pajamas," Was that Sachiko-baa-san?"
"Hai. But you won't be able to stay over at Raito-chan's house this weekend." Keiko lied," How about I call Arisawa-baa-san and ask her if you can stay the weekend with Tatsuki-chan?"
"Really?" Hotaru said eagerly and hugged Keiko," Arigato Kaa-san!!!!"
"Why don't you go get dressed while I call Arisawa-baa-san?" Keiko suggested and Hotaru disappeared into her room. The single mother lived in a two-room apartment that was just the right size for the two females. Keiko was currently working on buying a house for Hotaru and her to live in. Kane was kept in the backyard of the apartment complex so that he would have plenty of room to play in. It also made it to where Kane couldn't make a mess of Keiko's house.
As Hotaru dressed for the day Keiko quickly three-wayed the Arisawa and Kurosaki families to tell them about the situation. Tatsuki's mother immediately gave permission for Hotaru to stay with them as long as necessary however half-way through asking the Kurosaki's if she could stay with them Keiko froze.
How long could she run away from the man that had nearly killed her and Hotaru? How long would they be able to hide?
"Keiko-san, is everything okay?" Isshin asked," You can stay with us if you want too."
"Iie. I'll find a hotel to stay in until I know for certain that he's not coming after me or Hotaru." Keiko said before hanging up. She jumped as someone started to roughly knock on the door.
"Hotaru-chan, I want you to go and hide." Keiko whispered as Hotaru came out of her room," No matter what you hear don't come out."
"Hai!" Hotaru obeyed and ran to hide under Keiko's bed.
"Soichi." Keiko greeted as she opened the door," What are you doing here?"
Soichi was a man of average height with stark white hair and bright blue eyes that were covered with glasses. "Is it against the law for a man to see his daughter?"
"In your case yes." Keiko retorted as Soichi let himself in. The man immediately went to the kitchen counter where there were several pictures of Hotaru and her friends.
"Is she at one of her friends?" Soichi asked.
"Yes." Keiko said and froze in fear as Soichi suddenly swept all of the photo frames onto the floor causing the glass to shatter. "What are you doing?!?!" Keiko shouted.
"You and Hotaru belong to me and no one else Keiko." Soichi stated moving towards Keiko slowly, "I won't share my wife and precious daughter with anyone else. Now where is Hotaru, Keiko?"
"How did you learn her name?" Keiko demanded while grabbing a knife from a drawer and pointing it at Soichi.
"Oh is that really her name?" Soichi stated," I just guessed. It's a cute name for our daughter. Now Keiko where is she?"
"She's at a friends house." Keiko continued calmly.
"I know you're lying now where is she?" Soichi demanded.
"She's some place you can't get her." Keiko restated and froze as Soichi pulled a gun out from underneath his shirt.
"Keiko, I will kill you to get Hotaru. Now where is my precious daughter?" Soichi shouted.
"Soichi, I would rather die than let her go into your hands." Keiko said, unmoving.
"Then your choice has been made." Soichi stated and aimed the gun at Keiko's chest then shot her. Keiko's eyes widened in shock as she fell to the ground.
"Now I'll ask you one more time before you die, Keiko. Where is Hotaru?" Soichi calmly asked.
"I'll never tell you." Keiko said smiling, as light began to leave her eyes.
The last thing Keiko saw was a group of policemen, lead by Chief Yagami burst into her house to arrest Soichi. As one of the other officers took Soichi away Chief Yagami knelt down beside her and took her hand.
"It's okay now, Keiko-san." Chief Yagami reassured," There's an ambulance coming to take you to the hospital. It should be here in only a few minutes."
"A-arigato." Keiko said weakly," Demo… I-I'm not going to make it. I-I w-want you to take care of Hotaru after I'm gone."
"Keiko-san, don't talk like that!" Chief Yagami shouted at the dying woman.
"PROMISE ME!!" Keiko shouted back shrilly before she started to sob," Please…"
"Hai." Chief Yagami said as Keiko closed her eyes. From his experience as a police officer, Chief Yagami knew she was dead so he let go of her hand. He ordered a few of the other officers to try and keep Keiko alive as long as possible as he searched for Hotaru.
The first place he looked was Keiko's bedroom. "Hotaru-chan, are you in here?" Chief Yagami asked loudly," its Raito's father."
Hotaru peeked out from underneath the bed and stared up at Chief Yagami with watery eyes," Kaa-san's going do die isn't she?"
"We can't say that yet. The ambulance is going to take your Kaa-san to the hospital and they're going to do everything in their power to save her." Chief Yagami reassured as he knelt by the bed and help Hotaru out from under it.
Hotaru wrapped her arms around Chief Yagami's neck as he picked her up while hiding her face in his shoulder. Chief Yagami made sure to hide Hotaru from Soichi's view as he carried the small and now crying girl outside.
"Hotaru-chan, I'm going to take you to the hospital where your Kaa-san is." Chief Yagami explained to Hotaru as he set her in the passenger seat of his car before climbing into the driver's seat.
"Arigato." Hotaru said while peeking out the window at Soichi," Is that my Tou-san?"
"Unfortunately, yes." He responded.
"Why did he hurt Kaa-san?" Hotaru asked.
"He's a bad person." Chief Yagami explained.
"Does that make me a bad person?" Hotaru asked staring at Chief Yagami.
"No." Chief Yagami said as he drove to the hospital," Just because your Tou-san is a bad person it doesn't mean that you are."
"My Kaa-san was a good person right?" Hotaru inquired.
"Yes. You take strongly after your mother." Chief Yagami said and reached over to pat her on the head.
"W-what will happen to me if Kaa-san dies?" Hotaru asked.
How many questions does she have? Chief Yagami wondered before responding," Keiko-san made me promise to take care of you. So you will move in with me and my family."
"Ichigo-kun lost his mother too." Hotaru stated," Am I going to change like he did if Kaa-san dies?"
"Only if you wish to change." Chief Yagami replied," Why don't you lean the chair back and rest until we get to the hospital?"
"Okay." Hotaru said barely above a whisper before falling asleep.
(The next day)
Raito stared at Hotaru as she sat by Keiko's sleeping form. Keiko had fallen into a coma after her surgery and the doctors predicted that she didn't have long to live. "Hotaru-chan, you can't stay here forever." Raito said. It was six in the evening and visiting hours were almost over. Tatsuki and Ichigo had come by earlier to comfort Hotaru and talk to her. Now the only one's in Keiko's room was Sachiko, who was rearranging the flowers that had been brought for Keiko, and Raito, who was trying to get Hotaru to leave Keiko's side.
"A-ano…" Hotaru began," W-what if Kaa-san wakes up? I don't want her to wake up alone!"
"It'll be alright, Hotaru-chan." Sachiko reassured the small girl," There's several doctors and nurses here so she won't wake up alone. Besides you need to rest. How would your mother react if you made yourself sick with worry?"
"M-matte!" Hotaru shouted suddenly remembering something," What about Kane?"
"The landlady said that she would take care of Kane until you got moved in with us." Sachiko said leading Raito and Hotaru out to her car.
"O-okay." Hotaru said then suddenly froze as she turned to look at the hospital," Kaa-san."
"Hotaru-chan, what is it?" Raito asked.
"N-nothing." Hotaru said quickly faking a smile.
Raito grabbed her arm and pulled her into the back seat of the car. "You need to stop worrying. Your mom will be fine. The doctors…" Raito began trying to reassure Hotaru except the tiny girl had fallen across his lap asleep.
Raito stared down at her as Hotaru snoozed lightly on his lap. He had long gotten over the stage where he believed that girls were aliens. So as he leaned down to brush his lips lightly against her cheek he didn't feel awkward.
(The next morning)
"Kaa-san." Hotaru whispered as she sat in the corner of the Yagami's living room. Sachiko had just informed Raito and Hotaru of Keiko's death during the night. Thus Hotaru was now in the first stage of mourning.
Raito glared at her before walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her," Stop crying your mom wouldn't want you to cry."
"B-but she's gone!" Hotaru wailed into Raito shoulder.
"It'll be okay. Your father will be punished for killing her." Raito explained," You'll see. He'll rot behind bars for eternity."
"W-why would he kill Kaa-san?" Hotaru asked.
"He's evil." Raito replied.
(End Chapter 2)
Harpygirl91- See even an eight-year-old Raito is evil.
Near- … (stares at me)
Harpygirl91- Mello!! Near's scaring me!!
Mello- (sniggers)
Harpygirl91- (pout) You two are meanies.