A/N: Gomen nasi, my friends. This chapter was a beastie. I had the ever present writers block to battle, and then all of a sudden it was like the dam burst open and all this 'stuff' came flooding out and I couldn't stop writing. Weird. Anyway, as it turns out, this is the longest chapter 'The Bad Kid' has seen to date. I hope it is enjoyed. It is the first thing I have enjoyed writing in quite some time... I'm glad to share it with you. Gomen for the indecent length. I couldn't help it.
Review Response at end of chapter.
Chapter Nineteen
A Ghost Story
Dark. Would it always be this dark, or was there a way to get out, or perhaps a window to uncover? Kaoru had been running her hands along the walls looking for some kind of a doorway or tunnel or anything for what seemed like hours now, but she had not found so much as an air vent for her troubles. However, there was one bright spot in her well of waning hope, fresh air was leaking into the prison that she and Quii shared from somewhere. She knew this was true because the two of them had been inside of the dark room long enough for the air to have started to turn stale if there was not a fresh air exchange available. 'At least we won't suffocate.' She thought with a dour smile on her face.
She could hear Quii's quiet snores coming from somewhere behind her and off to the left indicating she had almost made a complete round of the room they were in. 'Dammit! How did he get us in here?' Smacking her hand against the wall in frustration, she cast her gaze around the darkness for the umteenth time trying to see if there was a speck of light she had overlooked on previous inspections, but found nothing. 'I don't understand it. No doorframe light, no window edges... nothing. Where the hell are we? I know we're at the lighthouse, but where?'
Leaning against the cold damp of the crumbling bricks, Kaoru heaved a sigh of despair and felt the heaviness of anxiety and fear starting to take hold of her heart. It would be so easy to just lay down, curl up into a ball, and shut everything out like she used to when the memories of her parents got too difficult to bear. It would be so much simpler to hide down inside of herself than it would be to keep dealing with the uncertainties of this nightmare. She just didn't know if she had it within her to keep up the front of strength and calm that she'd been showing for Quii's benefit. She was tired, she was afraid, and she was beginning to think no one was ever going to find them.
'No, I can't give in to this.' She chided herself roughly as she raised a dirty hand to her face and scrubbed at the burning tears that threatened to fall from her tired eyes. 'Kenshin will come, I know he will. He won't leave us in here. He'll get the guys together and they'll all come to get us out.' Her head dropped back against the wall and she could feel strands of her hair getting caught up in the tiny jagged cracks inside of the old bricks, but it didn't really matter. She was so filthy dirty by now, what was a little more grime in her hair going to do to her?
A stifled laugh lurched out of her chest and she folded her arms protectively across her breasts. 'Come on, Kaoru. Kenshin wouldn't like it if he knew what a baby you were being about all of this. He'd expect you to trust him, and you should. He's not going to just set on his butt and do nothing while you rot away in here, don't you know that, you stupid girl? He'll come for you, you know he will. Trust him. You know he'll find you.'
The thought somewhat comforted her; although, she could not quite shake the feeling of cold trepidation that stayed a close companion at her back. 'Oh Kenshin... please, find me.' A ragged breath shook her slender shoulders and a short, jerking sob wrenched itself free from her dry throat even as she tried to swallow it. 'Get a grip, Kaoru. Don't fall apart now. If you do, Quii will hear, and God knows what she will do. You can't comfort the both of you, so get a grip on yourself. You know he's going to come. You know that, so just try and hold onto that for now. Hold onto that and remember how much he loves you. Remember he loves you... remember that.'
"He loves me." She whispered to herself as she wrapped her arms around her shivering body. "Kenshin, I'm in here, Baby. Find me, please find me. Find me before 'he' comes back. Find me before he does... something." Sliding down the wall, Kaoru sat down and pulled her knees up into her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and pressed her forehead down into the crook of her elbow. 'I'll wait, Honey.' She sent the psychic message with all the willpower she could muster out of her exhausted soul and prayed it would somehow find its way to her beloved. 'I'll wait, but don't make me wait forever. I'm afraid, and it's so dark in here, please hurry... hurry... find me.'
Then she felt it. The slightest twinge slithering up her spine and tickling along the fine hairs of her forearms. Kaoru clamored to her feet stumbling against the wall in the darkness as she struggled to stand up. Holding her breath, she waited, and waited, and then it came again. Only this time it felt stronger and closer. Her heart was racing in her chest and she began taking short nervous breaths as she struggled to understand 'what' she was feeling. Could it be? Was it? Then, as the sensation passed over her a third time with enough emotional energy and psychic strength to raise the hair on the back of her neck and freeze the air in her lungs, she knew.
"Kenshin?" Her eyes rose heavenward as she strained to see through the darkness. "Are you here?"
"Kaoru?!" The urgency in his voice was only out matched by the darting ferocity of his amber eyes as he ran from room to room, searching for that which he held most dear. "Kaaorruu? Where are you?!" His words seemed to echo and then ricochet off the old stone walls bouncing back to him mocking him with his own anxiety as he kept coming up empty handed. 'Where are you? Kaoru? GOD?' He pleaded deep within his quaking soul. 'God, if you're up there... help me... please, help me... help me find her... please don't make me live without her again... I can't... I can't... oh help...'
"Edmooonnd..." Halfway up the iron staircase, Edmond-Kenshin stopped seemingly frozen in space as the voice drifted up to him-them on the salty sea breeze that blew through the open front door. "Edmond... Beloooved..." A low moan of agony and grief slipped free from the lips of the red-haired man as his hand rose to grip the front of his vest while an old almost forgotten pain ravaged through his heart. He knew that voice. He had listened to it in his dreams and nightmares a thousand times over and would know it anywhere. But did he dare turn around and face the owner of that voice? Was he ready to give physical birth to the pain that had eaten away at his soul for 300 years? Was he ready to face Cassandra and the knowledge that he had failed her in the hour of her greatest need? That, he, Edmond Fetlock had abandoned her to the bestial hands of her drunken husband and left her to die that night so long ago when he should have listened to his screaming conscience instead and stayed behind? Was he ready for that? Was he prepared to face the embodiment of his greatest guilt? Could he withstand the pain or would it devour him as he always feared it would?
"Beelovved..." The sultry bell-tones drew closer and the hairs on the back of his neck were starting to stand on end as the electrical quality of the air around him began to changed and shift. "Will you not see me, Edmond?" Anguish filled violet eyes shut as the mourning presence of pain and loneliness rose from the depths of the turret and tugged at his vitals and at the binding strings of his soul. "See meee... Edmooondd... see meee..." A deep seated groan of grief pushed its way free from his constricted throat and he found himself unable to deny the need any longer. As the presence of Kenshin slipped away into the far reaches of the spirit bond, Edmond bowed his head in deepest humility and submission, and it was he who at last turned around and faced himself toward the bottom of the winding stairwell. With trembling knees, he carefully stepped down until he rounded the turn. A sharp gasp of breath brought his hand up to cover his gapping mouth, and he was halted mid-stride by sight of a woman he had not laid eyes on in three centuries.
Though Kenshin's eyes had beheld her ghost that night inside of the Lighthouse, Edmond's eyes had not seen the face of his Beloved since that fateful day long ago. That terrible day when he had left her standing in the doorway of the Somber Man vowing he would meet her again the next morning, and as his wide violet orbs took in the fragile beauty of the much loved and adored face, he found himself weeping and wanting to rush to her. But she was nothing more than spirit and light, there was nothing for him to hold in his arms. There was no scented throat in which to bury his face, no petal soft lips to kiss, no hands to hold, no silky hair to touch.
She was completely beautiful and totally insubstantial as he gazed upon her haunted eyes and serene face. Still wearing the white nightdress and pale rose dressing gown that she had died in, though she was not the bruised and battered creature Kenshin and Kaoru had gazed upon in horror and pity. Instead, the glossy waist length of her ebony hair was draped over her right shoulder woven into a loose braid and tied at the end with a small blue ribbon. Her flawless face was as smooth and beautiful as any Angel, and her clothing appeared almost new without tear or stain.
In death, Cassandra O'Malley's innocent spirit had been restored to her previous beauty, and as she raised clear sapphire blue eyes to gaze upon the man she had loved more than life, she raised her arms and beckoned him back to her side. "Edmond. My dearest love. You've come home."
"Sandra..." His voice was broken and filled with a deep longing as he haltingly approached her translucent visage. "My beautiful, beautiful Sandra... how my eyes have missed your pretty face and my arms longed to hold you close, my dearest heart." How he wanted to kneel at her feet and hide his face in the softness of her breasts while his arms crushed the willowy slimness of her against him, but there was nothing to hold, nothing to embrace. Only the faintest scent of roses and sea salt surrounded her and he mentally glombed onto that small physical proof that she was in any way real.
But as Edmond's eyes caressed the delicate features of the beloved visage, he found he was unable to stop himself from trying to touch her. Lifting a trembling hand, he tried to trace the line of her perfect face while she gazed up into his eyes with the wide sapphire pools of her eyes. "How much I have missed you..." He whispered as his fingers passed through the essence of her cheek and tears slipped down his face. "Still so beautiful... so utterly beautiful and sweet... my Sandra."
"Edmond, my own Beloved," The deep blue pools of her eyes filled with the enormity of her love and the wispy image of her hand rose to pass over his face as she tried in desperation to touch him and wipe the wetness off his cheek. But she was as thwarted in touching him as he had been trying to touch her. Her hand passed through the flesh of his face without stopping and pulling it free, she stared at it as if it belonged to someone else.
A look of profound sadness settled upon her delicate features as she realized they would not be able to touch each other as they were. Love it seemed was not enough to transcend the worlds of the living and limbo. "Fate is cruel." She whispered as her eyes filled with tears and she lifted her face to see the pain she felt reflected just as deeply in his beautiful violet gaze.
"Yes, it is." He spoke in a hushed and reverent tone as he looked down at the one thing he had loved more than life, and wished not for the first time that he had been able to follow where she went so they could have been together. "I would have given almost anything just to have touched you once more..." The breath caught in his throat, and he closed his eyes sending more wetness down his tortured face. "To have said good-bye... to have begged your forgiveness... I am so sorry, Sandra... so damn sorry." His head drooped and a hand lifted to cover his face as a harsh sob tore its way free from his chest. "I should have come back sooner... I should have listened to my own instincts and come back... I never should have left you here alone... oh God... I never..."
"Hush, my Love." The tenderness of her sweet voice reached out and caressed his heart as she sought to comfort him in his grief and guilt the only way she could. "I told you to go... I said I would be fine... I made you leave... if you had stayed, he would have killed us both."
"I know," Edmond raised a ragged grief-stricken face to her. "But if he had, then maybe I could have gotten to be with you... maybe we could have been together all this time... maybe... maybe we wouldn't of had to be so alone for so long. I couldn't live without you." He cried and tried to reach for her but his hands passed through her form and they both stood mute unable to do anything but stare at the emptiness between them. "I loved you so bloody much... I couldn't live without you."
"I know..." Tears poured down her face as she looked at his hands and the long lonely ache of the past years without him rose to seize her heart inflicting more pain than she could bear. "I-I couldn't move on without you..." Their eyes met and locked for and eternity and the love that they had shared burned as brightly between them as it had the first night they had met.
"That is why I'm still here."
The purest and truest loves never die. They simmer and smolder through the ages waiting for the moment when Time will once more breath Life back into them giving them another chance to taste the joy of being reunited. They wait to be renewed, to be reborn, but they do not wait patiently. They burn.
"We have another chance at life, Sandra... you and I." Edmond's voice was filled with the same spirits of hope and yearning that had lived with him his whole life, and Cassandra heard echos of the past ringing in that single sentence. Edmond could see she did not understand what his meanings were so he rushed forward to try and explain. "Our souls have been reborn, my love. Yours, mine... and Daniel's. Each of our souls has been brought back to this time and given a new body. Our spirits remain our own, but the soul of us has been reborn within another. Do you know of what I speak?" Slowly comprehension filled her eyes and she slowly nodded her head.
"Kaoru..." She spoke the name hesitantly. "The girl your Kenshin was looking for. She looks just like me... I saw her." An odd look passed over the spirits face as she gazed intently into her lovers large violet eyes trying to come to grips with what must be the truth. "Is she... is she ME?"
"Yes, Beloved." Violet eyes filled with so much hope and entreaty searched the pale visage of the spirit before him. "I am reborn in the body of this young boy, Kenshin... and Daniel in the body of that animal, Hiko... we are all here again, Sandra. All three of us."
"Why Edmond? Why are we all here again?" Cassandra began to look panicked as her gazed shifted toward the living quarters where they both knew Daniel resided for the moment, and then back to the face of her lover. "What is meant to happen that fate has brought us all here again?"
"I am not completely sure, but I think it may be because I am being given the chance to save you, and Daniel is being given the chance to reclaim whatever honor is left in him." Edmond shook his head in frustration. "But I really can't say. If the truth be told, I would just as soon not fight him, but just rescue the girls and be done with it."
"The girls...?" The expression on her face became thoughtful and then insightful. "You came seeking Kaoru and the other girl... you did not expect to see me... did you?"
"'Kenshin' came looking for the girls." He corrected her gently. "I did not expect to be 'me' or even be here... I did not expect any of this. I only wanted to save..." He paused, shook his head, and started again. "'Kenshin' wanted to save 'his' beloved before history repeated itself. At least those are the impressions I was able to gather from his mind. I was not even involved until he walked through the front door, and then it seems Fate and Time took control of everything. We... He and I, no longer had any choices in the matter."
Cassandra stared into her Lovers face for what seemed an eternal moment, and Edmond could see her mind trying desperately to make sense of everything that was going on around them. Her gaze grew hard, and her lips thinned as she struggled with the intricacies and nuances of the situation, and then she turned away from his and moved several feet away.
"What?" He asked as he followed in her stead. "What are you thinking? Tell me."
"It was a mistake." She said in a strange voice. "It was all a terrible mistake. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. He wasn't supposed to...it was a terrible mistake."
"What are you going on about, Sandra?" Edmond walked around the muttering spirit so he could face her. "What do you mean, 'it was a mistake.'? What was a mistake? Talk to me, Sandra, what was a mistake?"
Suddenly she was looking at him with wild eyes gone wide with alarm and comprehension. "Your young Kenshin is right. You have to save Kaoru... you have to save her, and save me. If all of this is to be put to an end, we both have to survive, you and I. We were not meant to die, Edmond... we were never meant to die!"
As he stared into her earnest and frantic face, Edmond struggled to ascertain what she was trying to tell him, but it just was not making sense. What did she mean, they both had to survive? That neither of them was meant to die? It was all a terrible mistake? 'What the hell... no one is ever really meant to die, are they?'
"Don't you understand?" Her voice rose to a near hysterical point as she desperately tried to get through to him. "Daniel wasn't meant to take our lives. We were not meant to die back then. We were supposed to be together, and he was supposed to leave and go on his way. None of us are supposed to be here like this, we had lives to live 300 years ago, but Daniel's bloody drunk rage took them away... from all three of us. When he took our lives and the life of our child, he upset the balance of Time, and we have all been brought back to this place to make it right again. Edmond?" She shouted at him as all the blooddrained from his face while the cohesion of her statements' finally connected inside of his befuddled mind. "Edmond? Do you hear me? Do you understand? You have to save Kaoru and this boy. We can't let Daniel win again. We can't let him kill us again. We can't."
"It will never happen. I won't let it. Not this time." Edmond spoke in a quiet eerie voice that sounded of dread and doom as his head drooped down to his chest effectively obscuring his face from view. Closing his eyes he pushed himself into a level of concentration that shut everything out except the sound of his own heart beat and the sensation of the breath moving in and out of his lungs. Diving deep into himself, he reached for something that was only a distant memory for him, but a reality to Kenshin. Something he had only dreamed about in the past. Something that was unspeakable.
Several intense moments of deafening silence screamed through the turret, and then he opened his eyes and raised his head. Cassandra's spirit gasped and covered her mouth even as she moved away from him several feet.
"Ed-edmond?"
"Not anymore." The burning amber gold eyes of Kaoru's Angel-wolf gleamed malevolently from beneath the shaggy red bangs that perpetually hung in his eyes, and the look of raging fury that glittered within their roiling depths promised retribution for past sins and transgressions heaped upon the innocent. But instead of the out of control angry beast that Kenshin had difficulty keeping in check, this beast was all taut muscle and icy resolve. This was the final form, the finished product.
The Avenging Angel in its purest form, and it had a task that needed doing. A task that was 300 years in the making, and it was time to be done with it.
"Who... what...?"
"I am the beast that lives within Kenshin's soul. I am that which has been created from his pain, his anger, his fear. I am his demon spirit and my roots lie buried deep within his soul. Deep enough to reach into the past and touch the grief and pain of the one who came before us. He was the beginning. He was the source that planted the seed of my creation."
"You're talking about Edmond, aren't you?"
"Yes. His is the source. It is from his torn and broken soul that my form was first concieved, but it is Kenshin's heart that brought me into physical being. He needed me to protect those he loved."
"Protect? Protect them from whom?"
"His false father, Hiko. Hiko the abuser. Hiko the drunken tyrant. Hiko, the would-be murderer. Hiko, the enemy." The voice was flat, but there was an underlying edge of hatred that could not be denied and Cassandra shivered. "Hiko, the devil and the releaser of destruction."
"Hiko? Hiko was Kenshin's father?" Cassandra reeled at the revelation of that piece of information. "But Hiko is Daniel. If Hiko is Daniel and Kenshin is Edmond, and he called on you to protect his family... Oh dear God. What sort of horrors have you endured in this life, my love? What has he done to you? What has he done that you would have to create a demon to protect yourself and the rest of your family from him?"
"He was the false father. Not a blood father, and his fists were the tools of his communication. I was created out of necessity because it was easier for me to fight him than it was for the younger ones... or for Kenshin's mother. It was my place to protect them. My humble duty. My honorable purpose. Just as I must protect you and the girls now. It is why I am here now, why the source of all things has called upon me to come."
"Edmond?" Cassandra looked hard at the Angel-wolf as she struggled with the complexity of three separate entities now inhabiting the body that stood so stoically before her. Could it be? Had Edmond truly conceived such a being in his mind after finding out what Daniel had done to her? Had her sweet mild tempered lover with the perpetual boyish smile and laughing violet eyes created such a beast as this to channel all of his anger, rage, and pain into when he could no longer bear it on his own? And then this boy, Kenshin, growing up beneath the fist of an abusive step-father whose body was inhabited by the soul of a man who hated him more than hell hated any Angel? How much more of this Avenger had his pain and anguish created? What had the Fates done bringing them all back here knowing that this 'beast' now resided along side the gentle soul of Edmond Fetlock? Did they not realize that more bloodshed was not the answer? Cassandra felt as if the world was tilted on its axis and threatening to spin off. 'T'would be better if it exploded and killed us all before anything else happens.' She thought as she gazed into those great gleaming golden orbs. 'Nothing good came come from this.'
"You are telling me that Edmond called you here?"
"Yes. I am here at his bequest." At that moment Cassandra was favored with a low snarl of carefully controlled fury as it slithered from between his lips, and she watched with apprehension as his left hand dropped to grasp the hilt of his katana. "Do you know where he is keeping the girl, My Lady?" He asked with strained respect as his patience began to wear thin. "Time is working against us, and neither Kenshin nor Edmond has been able to find them, so if you have any knowledge as to where Daniel has taken them, I humbly ask that you tell me."
"Yes,' She nodded and turned from him. "I know where they are." Motioning for him to follow her as she made her way back down the stairway, the ghost spoke solemnly over her shoulder . " Come with me and I will take you there." He offered a short nod, and then with a speed that stunned the red-haired Angel-wolf, the ghost flew down the stairs and across the main floor of the Lighthouse in a streak of multicolored light particles and dancing rainbows. He was forced to use all of his strength and speed to keep up with her. It was imperative that he not lose track of her lest he become lost and fail in his task.
They wove a pattern through the lower level of the living quarters and then through the kitchen and dining area. The Angel-wolf was forced to stop and open a door or two on the way which he found frustrating. The ghost simply passed through them without a thought. The last door he was forced to open led outside and revealed a well-trodden foot path that lead around to the backside of the building. Grasping the hilt of his sword tightly, the Angel-wolf took the path at a swift jog careful to lean away from the sharp drop-off on his left. It was a clean fall down to the rocks and the sea about 100 ft or so. He didn't care to find out exactly so he watched his footing.
The path took a sharp right handed turn at the corner and the Angel-wolf found himself looking at an old wooden door with a plank dropped across its center for a lock.
"Here." The soft voice at his shoulder seemed to come from no where as Cassandra's ethereal body could not be seen in the harsh light of the Sun, but her words were easily discernable. 'They are in here." Once more he thanked her with a short nod and then went to work removing the plank. It came free easily and he yanked the door open without difficulties.
A long stone stairway disappeared down into musty darkness, and the Angel-wolf knew he needed some sort of a light if he was going to be able see his way through. He cast his sharp gaze about the area searching for anything that might be useful when he eyed something that had been carefully hidden beneath the edges of a rough bush. Kneeling down he reached beneath the prickly edges and pulled the black toolbox free. 'This belongs to Hiko.' The subdued part of his mind that belonged to Kenshin recognized the item immediately as belonging to his step-father. 'He always carries it in the trunk of his car. I wonder what it's doing here?' The Angel-wolf unlatched the lid and opened the box slowly. Inside he found tools including screwdrivers, wrenches, a small hammer, and... a flashlight? 'Perfect. Thanks old man.'
Pressing the on/off switch, he checked to see if the batteries were still good and grunted in satisfaction when the light came on casting a bright beam. 'Strange,' The Edmond entity mused thoughtfully. 'It would seem the past and the present are co-existing harmoniously within the same time frame. I wonder how that is possible?'
'Don't question it, Ed." Kenshin spoke to his alter self. "Let's just be glad that it's working out that way, otherwise we might be in real trouble at the moment.'
'How so?'
'You know how to use that sword you're wearing, man?'
'Well, now that you mention it, no. That was you that smacked Daniel wasn't it?'
'It sure as hell wasn't you, buddy. Have you ever even held one of those in your hand?'
'No, can't say that I have. But I was a crack shot with a pistol. How about you?'
'Nah, never had any use for a gun. Didn't like them.'
'I guess that makes us even, yes?'
'Got me there, Ed. I can't use a gun and you can't use a sword. I guess we'll just have to do this thing together. What'd you say?'
'My thoughts exactly, but what about 'him'?'
''Him'? Oh, you mean this guy whose walking around wearing us at the moment? Looks like to me between the two of us we got control over him. Maybe that's the whole idea. You think?'
'Excellent notion, Kenshin my boy. Perhaps that is why he's been here all along, so we could work through him. He is better at this kind of thing than both of us. You do know this, don't you?'
'Of course, I taught him almost everything he knows, and you gave him the will to survive. Sounds to me like he's practically invincible, or at least damn close to it. Especially with us pulling the strings.'
'I agree. Shall we?'
'What?'
'Go get the girls, you duffer. Don't you remember anything longer than ten minutes? I was under the impression you were quite the genius, but it certainly doesn't appear so.'
'Hey, stow it pretty boy, and next time you ask me to do something, fucking make yourself clear. I don't speak 'suave', got it?'
'Absolutely. Cave men are walking upon the earth again.'
'Shut-up and lets go. You're wasting time.'
'Of course.'
'Geeeeez... are you sure I'm really you?'
'Yes, why do you ask?'
'It's embarrassing. I didn't know I was such a stuffy tight ass. If the guys knew, they'd never let me live it down.'
'What? I don't...'
'Nevermind, shut-your mouth and let's go. We're wasting precious time. Daniel isn't going to be out of commission forever, you know.'
'Quite.'
'Arrrgggh...'
The glazed look finally left the glimmering golden eyes, and the Angel-wolf roughly shook his head as he attempted to clear the jumbled chaos of thoughts crowding his mind. 'Did I just have a conversation with myself?' He wondered in confused bewilderment and worry, but quickly cast the disturbing idea away as ridiculous as he turned back to the stone steps. The beam of the flashlight burned brightly as it illuminated the first ten feet of darkness. 'Excellent.' He started down carefully watching each step as he went.
The stairway took two sharp right angle turns before he reached the bottom, and once there he was presented with another puzzle. He stood inside of a small 6 ft by 6 ft room which held a small bed, a table with a lamp, and an old ragged woven rug laid out on the dirt floor. It was otherwise empty and held no other doors or windows. He was at a dead end.
"Lift the rug, Edmond." Cassandra's ghost appeared at his side adding her luminescent quality to the lighting of the small room as she stood pointing downward at the ragged article. "Lift the rug, there is a door beneath it. Lift the rug and open the door."
The Angel-wolf carefully placed the flashlight on the small table, and then knelt down to remove the old rug. Sure enough, beneath it there was a wooden trapdoor built into the floor. It held no locks or braces, and the red-haired man found this slightly disturbing. 'Why isn't it secured?' Wiggling his fingers beneath one of the edges, he applies enough strength and pressure to lift the door open. It revealed a dark hole.
Retrieving his flashlight from the table, the Angel-wolf pointed the beam downward into the inky blackness and gasped as shock and incredulity struck him at the same time. It was a pit. A large hole that had been dug into the ground ages before probably by a previous Lamp Master, but one that came long after Edmond had passed because he had no memories of this place.
The pit appeared to be about ten or twelve feet deep and approximately fifteen feet around though the shape was quite irregular. The walls had been shored up and mortared with granite bricks all the way around, but the floor remained nothing more than bare dirt. The musty odor that escaped told the tale of just how moist it was inside indicating there was a water source that must be leaking in all of the time keeping it in a constant state of damp and cold. And where there was a water leak there must also be an air exchange.
'It's a root cellar." He spoke in a low-toned voice as he continued to inspect the construction of the pit. "And quite a good one at that. I suppose that explains why there is not lock on the door. It didn't need one." Letting the light carefully follow the walls all the way around, he began to methodically search the pit for signs of the girls. Suddenly he stopped as the light caught the sheen of bright turquoise. 'Quii's dress!' Leaning a little farther into the opening, he focused the light on that flash of color and strained to make out the shape that was huddled up on the floor.
"Quii..." He called in a loud voice. "Quii Saitou, is that you? Can you hear me?" He strained his ears into the silence trying to listen for even the slightest sound when he heard a scuffling rustle just off to his right.
"Kenshin? Kenshin, is that you?" The voice sounded tired and near tears. It sounded weary and desolate. It sounded anxious and hopeful. He swung the light toward the sound. That was when he saw her. She was standing up against the wall, her palm flat against the stones, her hair in complete disarray, her white dress smudged with dirt and torn at the shoulder, but it was her face that caught and held his attention.
Her face was still covered with her Halloween make-up, and the black cowl around her eyes was smeared down her cheeks like black tears upon the palest of cheeks. Her enormous blue eyes were blown wide open and filled with entreaty, with fear, with courage, with hope, and with... trust? 'She knew he would come. She knew.'
"We are here, Kaoru. Everything is going to be all right now. We will find a way to get you and Quii out of here. Just try to stay calm." He watched her nod in wide eyed affirmation and then he was pulling back and looking around the small room for some thing to use to get them out. "Dammit! How did he get them down there?"
"Here..." Cassandra was motioning toward the bed and indicating he should pull the mattress off. "He hides it under there. He doesn't think anyone would ever think to look there, so that is where he puts it."
The Angel-wolf grabbed the old thin mattress and yanked it viciously off the rickety wooden frame tossing it into one of the empty corners of the room. There carefully tucked away beneath the disgusting bed was a brand new adjustable aluminum ladder. 'You fucking animal.' Kenshin's entity raised its head and snarled as the golden eyes looked upon the very modern means of entering and exiting the deep pit. 'You let Daniel lead you into town and you bought that bloody thing, didn't you? You bought it just before the dance. You bought it and stuffed it into this hole he must have found, and then the two of you came back to the school and snatched the girls. Quii was a mistake, but you didn't care. You let him take her anyway. You disgusting weak-minded ape. Didn't you have enough strength over your own mind to see what he was doing, or was it that you just didn't give a shit? Was that it, old man? You just didn't give a damn because it felt so good to be whole again? You make me sick. You've always made me sick. Well, this time you lose. You can't have her, and you can't have me either. You just ran out of time, asshole. Today is judgement day, and I'm Judge, Jury, and Executioner, and it's time you paid for what you've done. BOTH of you.'
The ladder was seized in furious hands and then dropped without preamble into the pit the two halves locking together to form a solid fifteen foot stairway to freedom for the two incarcerated girls.
"Kaoru?" He shouted down into the hole as he grabbed his flashlight and shined it down into the darkness. "Grab Quii and let's get the hell out of here, girl. The two of you have been down in this fucking hole long enough. Come on!" The beam of light caught a flurry of movement and he heard the muffled cries of excited surprise coming from the younger girl as Kaoru shook her awake and began dragging her across the damp floor.
"Come on, Quii. Kenshin's here and he's got a ladder from somewhere so we can get out of here." She was pulling roughly on the slender arm of the girl and she heard a few squeaks of protest but she ignored them. Kenshin was here just like she had known he would be, and she was out of here dragging Quii every step of the way if she had to. "Come on, dammit! Before Mr. Siejuro comes back."
"I'm coming. Stop pulling on me, Kaoru. I can stand on my own, dammit. Let go." The hand that held her in such a strangling grip abruptly released her, and Quii stumbled wildly almost falling down. At the last moment she caught herself and breathed a sigh of relief over the fact that she had avoided eating anymore dirt, and then she sent a glare of frustration at the back of the older girl. 'Impatient.'
By that time, Kaoru was beyond caring if Quii made it up the ladder or not. Her only goal was to reach the man who was kneeling at the top of the ladder. His arms were the only place she wanted to get to, and as she scrambled up the ladder she was almost certain that her wildly beating heart was going to beat her to them. But then she was crawling over the edge and he was there waiting for her. His arms opened up to her and she scampered into them releasing a sob of relief when she felt their strength close around her crushing her against the hard rock of his chest.
"Kenshin!" She cried as she burrowed into the warmth of his throat her arms reaching around his torso clinging to him like a leech. "I knew you'd come. I knew you would."
"Everything is all right now, Baby." He breathed tenderly into her hair as one of his hands gently cupped the back of her head. "I'm here and everything is going to be all right. I promise I won't ever let anything happen to you. I will always love you, and I will always protect you. Nothing in this world can ever pull me away from your side, my sweet Kaoru. Nothing." She shuddered in his arms and curled even closer to him.
"I love you." She whispered pressing soft kisses against his neck. "Nothing could ever pull me away from you either." And then she leaned back away from him so she could see his face.
The moment of truth was upon them all.
Quii crawled over the edge of the hole and turned toward her benefactor so she could thank him, but she froze where she sat her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide with shock. "What the hell?"
Kaoru stared in silence into the beloved face before her seeing a multitude of things written upon the handsome taut features. She saw her beloved Kenshin shift subtly past as his overwhelming relief and love reached out and embraced her telling her how afraid he had been that he had failed her. That he had lost her. That he would never see her or hold her again. She also saw her precious Angel-wolf with his skittish wariness lurking inside the liquid golden orbs that gazed so intently upon her face, but she also saw more. She saw something, or someone inside those eyes and upon that face which she had never seen before.
As she regarded the complex being before her, Kaoru's mind began to drift back to the conversation she'd had with Quii about reincarnation, Fate, and Time, and as she studied the beloved face, an idea occurred to her. It was a startling and frightening idea, but it was the only feasible explanation she had for what she was seeing in front of her. She cleared her throat and then spoke in a carefully controlled voice.
"Edmond?" She asked in precise succinct tone as she gazed thoughtfully into those gleaming golden eyes. "Are you there?" A slow nod of his head and then the hint of a smile followed her question, and Kaoru caught her breath. "All three of you are in there?"
"Three of us?" He cocked his head to the side and regarded her with humble respect. "I was not aware you knew about 'him'."
"Oh yes, I have seen and met 'him' before." She nodded and reached out to caress the much loved face. "'He' is unstable and has difficulty trusting those around him. 'He' fears much, but will brave anything to protect the ones he loves. 'He' is fierce, proud, and honorable. There is much about 'him' that I love just as much as I love Kenshin."
"You are a remarkable young girl then Kaoru. For I would have never dared 'show him' to my Cassandra for fear 'he' would have frightened her and drove her away."
"You underestimate her, Edmond. Love knows many faces, and loves them all."
"Perhaps. But 'he' did not come to pass until after she was gone. 'He' became because of her passing and the pain and grief I suffered because of it. 'He' is the sum of my rage and guilt as well as my sadness." He captured her hand and brought it to his lips where he pressed a gentle kiss into her palm. "'He' is also the sum of all of Kenshin's rage, pain, and fear. Between us, he and I have created a Beast of tremendous strength, but 'he' is constructed out of rage. 'He' is more abomination than anything else."
"I don't believe that." Kaoru forced the Edmond entity to look at her and she locked gazes with him despite his trepidation. "Sometimes there is such a thing as 'righteous rage', Edmond, and that is something that comes from a higher power than any of us know. 'He' is not a Beast, nor is 'he' an abomination. 'He' is the tool by which those things that were unjustly destroyed so long ago will be made right again. Surely you must see that?" The golden eyes dimmed to their natural violet for the briefest moments, and then they burst forth into the most brilliant glow of liquid amber any of them had ever seen. The small room began to glow softly as the light cast from the tri-enties eyes began to create a light of their own.
Kaoru and Quii gasped in unison, and then squeaked in surprised fear as the shimmering form of Cassandra's spirit appeared before them. She stood next to the tri-entity and as the golden glow continued to fill the small room, her body began to take on a much more substantial quality until she appeared to be quite human. Her cheeks were flushed, her small feet were dirty, and her chest rose and fell with each breath she took.
Everyone in the tiny room froze.
"Kaoru," Cassandra held her hand out to the shocked girl. "Come here, and let me see you." A slow almost imperceptible nod of assent was given, and Kaoru rose to her feet and stepped over to the other woman, and as they stood face to face, both Quii and the tri-entity stared in astonishment. They were a perfect likeness for each other. It was a mirror image looking back for each of them. "We are one and the same, Kaoru."
"I know." The young girl replied as she reached out and touched the all to real cheek of the ghost.
"I think if we are to accomplish what has to be done here today, we have to be whole. That means we have to be together inside the same body."
"I think so too." Kaoru met the dark blue gaze so identical to her own. "I think I have to be you so that you can face Daniel again. I'm thinking that is what this is all really about anyway. The three of you confronting each other again, out here in this place, and putting right what happened that night. I don't think you were supposed to die, were you?"
"No, I don't think so. I think we were all supposed to go on with our lives, even Daniel, but when he murdered Edmond and I, he destroyed the fabric of all three of our lives. Now, it has to be fixed."
"I understand... I think. Kenshin and I are supposed to be together too, aren't we?"
"Of course. You're us." Kaoru smiled and nodded and then the two woman took each other by the hand and stepped forward. What happened next was something Quii would never forget, not for the rest of her life. The image of Cassandra stepped over and into the body of Kaoru, and as the features of her face settled into the perfect match of her soul's body, Kaoru's dirty white dress and smudged Halloween make-up disappeared. They were replaced with Cassandra's white nightdress and rose dressing gown. Her hair smoothed out and became a loose braid hanging over her shoulder, the end tied with a blue ribbon. Her shoes disappeared, leaving behind small bare feet dirty from the damp floor. Only the eyes stayed the same. Enormous dark pools of liquid sapphire blue.
Kaoru was gone. She had disappeared somewhere deep into the back reaches of the mind she now shared with Cassandra.
"Edmond!" She cried as her hands rose to touch the warm flesh of her face. "Edmond, I'm real!" The man kneeling on the floor rose abruptly to his feet and flew to her side in a split instant his eyes staring into her flushed and excited face.
"Sandra?" He croaked as he lifted an apprehensive hand. "Is it true?"
"Yes," She whispered as tears filled her eyes and began slipping down her face. "It is true. Feel me." Her fingers reached out and wrapped around his wrist pulling his fearful hand forward to touch the warm flesh of her cheek. "I'm real. We're both real."
A choked sob escaped his tight throat as he felt the softness of her flesh beneath his hand. "Oh God... Sandra, my beautiful Sanda." The next moment he was covering her lips with his in a frantic kiss that brought a whimpering sob of response from her as her arms wrapped around his waist and then reached up to grip his shoulders.
Quii could do nothing but sit and gape at the scene before her. Both of her friends it seemed were no longer in possession of their bodies, or at least not entirely so. But, what was happening seemed to be the right thing and she felt a lump of emotion swelling up in her throat as she watch the long lost lovers hug, kiss, and cry over each other. 'They've been apart for 300 years. I guess a little body snatching isn't such a big deal. I don't think Kenshin or Kaoru would really mind, besides, they're in love with each other too, so it's not like they wouldn't be doing the same thing if it was the two of them who were in the same situation.' She nodded and scooted over to retrieve the flashlight. They were going to have to be leaving soon, she knew that as she cast a hesitant glance up the stairs, but another backward glance over her shoulder confirmed the couple were still firmly locked within each others embrace. 'I guess we can wait a little while longer... it can't hurt anything to give them just a little more time.' She giggled quietly and sat down on one of the lower steps cupping her chin in her hand. 'They've waited long enough to be together, I'd say, they deserve a few more minutes. But then we really got to get out of here.'
Upstairs inside the living quarters Daniel was starting to shake off the tremendous blow Kenshin had delivered upon his body, and although his head was still swimming, he could feel the old rage starting to brew down in the pit of his belly once more.
"You better run and hide you fucking brat." He snarled as Hiko shifted to the surface for a moment. "It'll be a cold day in Hell before you get the best of this old man. There aren't any Cops or witnesses around this time to keep me from tearing your fucking head off, so you better run and hide, because daddy's coming after your ass, and ain't nobody going to stop me this time. Nobody."
Psychotic-catster: OMG!!! You're the first ONE! I think Cleo surprised everyone in this chapter, so you weren't alone kiddo. Thanks for your concern about my health. I am feeling much better. God Bless, Sweetling. Hope you liked this chapter tool. .
Half-breed-demon-fox: I so love that name. Reminds me of Inuyasha and Youko all at the same time. Weird, huh? I'm pleased you love the story. I hope you still do. God Bless.
Sick Galaxy: A glow in the Dark Star?? So cool! I used to have a whole bunch of those when I was a kid. Little decal things I stuck on my walls and ceiling. They were awesome! Like being in space... lol. It's easy to please small minds in small bodies. I liked whacking Hiko/Daniel with the sheath too. I reaaaally enjoyed it. God Bless, kid. See ya soon.
Catti-dono: I know I mean with the cliffies. But this one wasn't too bad actually. I took care of a lot of business, so you can't complain too loudly. And btw, thanks for the concern and the advice of your recent e-mails. I think I will go back to my Chiropractor. It's worth a shot, who knows. Anything that will get me at least back to base line of six months ago is better than where I am right now. God Bless, shin-yuu. Much love. Tuski
JD Fielding: Ahhh, My dear young friend. I enjoyed restructuring the lighthouse. That's one of those really cool special effects that they do in Sci-fi and mystery/horror/ghost movies that just freaks me out and totally fascinates me. I'd actually love to see it really happen... Just once, get caught up in the shift of the space-time continuum and enter the world of a past life. That would sound really funky crazy if I didn't actually believe in past lives, but I do.
And the fight between Edmond/Kenshin and Daniel/Hiko isn't over yet. Just thought I'd let you know. The sheath blow... just the beginning. And remember... Saitou is still on his way with the rest of the Fam-damly. It's gonna be wild... if I can just get it out of my head. Take care, dear friend. See you soon.
Steph: I know you don't like my cliffies. But there is this evil streak in me that just demands I preform torturous acts of some kind... lol. This cliffies wasn't as bad as some I've done in the past, though. I cleaned up a lot of loose ends before I shut things down. So you shouldn't have too much to complain about. - Part of me really wanted to cut Hiko/Daniel in half... but, then the story would have been over, so I restrained myself. But it was a warm and fuzzy thought for quite a few minutes there. wink
Kagura: Ahh, my lovely friend, Kagura. Yes, yes... we all shudder when Daniel/Hiko starts talking about Kaoru/Cassandra in a possessive manner. Just makes the flesh want to slither right off your bones. shudders But then... its supposed to. - As for the image of Edmond/Kenshin threatening Hiko with Kaoru... I laughed my ass off. That was damn funny. Thanks for the mental. Bless you.
Rain angst: oooogh... cabin's growing flowers now... - Glad you're still loving the story. God Bless.
November Dusk: Saitou is involved simply because Kenshin asked him to be, and because both Quii and Ruakii are at the Lighthouse. He knows about the 'past' because Kenshin put the details in the note he left. If you read the scene where he and Tokio are in the kitchen talking about the note, both of them refer to what Kenshin wrote about ghosts and stuff. Also because of Cleo when she joined them and dropped the bomb of past-life memories about the couple who were meant to be her parents but never were, and their relationship to Kenshin.
Thanks for your concern about me. I am feeling much better. Hopefully that is a good sign and things are on the up and up. I have definitely had enough of the feeling like crap crap.
Lere: Lere, beautiful, lere. I know your life has been chaos. You warned me about that in one of your last letters. I knew your finals were coming up and you would be studying like a crazy woman. I understand. I know you still love me, and you should know I will always love you. You're my touchstone.
I'm glad you loved the chapter, and I'm pleased I surprised you with Cleo. Everyone was surprised. -. I hope you liked this chapter as well. It was a beastie.
I am hoping and praying for you, dear one, that all is well with you, and that finals are done and over by now. I know you will be fine and that you did fine. I have perfect faith in you. God Bless, my shin-yuu.
Polaris-fire-star: Thank you for your concerns and worries. I am feeling better. Hope you're not still mad... this cliffie wasn't as bad as some I have left... It was just a so-so cliffie. LOLOL God Bless, my friend.
Roku-chan: Roxie-chan!! OH, I loved the story you sent me! It was very... hentai. WoWsers! Wicked, wicked!
Anyway... I am feeling better... and my stress is coming back down. Thank heavens. I was definitely getting tired of feeling like crap. My empathy to your father. Playing the seizure game it the pits. No one should have to do it.
I hope you like this chapter. I don't know about being an inspiration, sweetie... but I do know that you have a lot of talent to write all on your own. It's been good to chat with you again, and know that you're doing so well. Take care my love, hope to talk to you soon. Mom
Kuroi Tamashii: A giant monkey animal, eh? LOLOL Squishy monkey attack? Geez, you sound like my son's. LOLOL... next thing I know I'll be hearing, "Gooey monkey brains splatter on the wall as old woman falls prey to deadly squishy monkey assault... film at 11:00!" HEHEHEHEHE And yes, I am feeling better, and I'm glad you like the story enough to 'demand' an update plus threaten me with your 'wrath'. Are you sure your not one of my sons??? Last night the three of them were on-line and actually found a website that was anything and everything you ever wanted to know about 'poop'. Now, what's up with that? God, boys are funny... I don't think I'd know what to do with a girl. LOLOL
Kean: I hear what you are saying. I knew the chapter was not up to my usual standards. But between the writers block and the seizure, it was a wonder I wrote anything at all. My brain was pretty much a bowl of mushy oatmeal by then, but I felt obligated to try and do something for my readers. I was actually glad it turned out as good as it did, but I knew it didn't have the depth of feeling and characterization that I'm known for... I just wasn't up to it.
I'm glad you were understanding of why the chapter wasn't up to par. Oddly, you were the only one who noticed, or at least had the where with all to point it out. I thought more people would say something. But you were the only one. I was really quite shocked about that. Actually, I deeply appreciate your honesty. Thank you. God Bless.
Lendra-chan: Alendra-chan... I have not had the chance to read your new story, honey, but I promise I will try to get to it. I see you have been updating it like crazy so I am waaaaaaaaaay far behind. Gomen, sweetie. I will get to it as soon as I can. I didn't know you lived in Maine. That is my favorite state. If I ever had my choice of places I could move to, that is where I would go. It is right there close to New York. I think the weather is almost the same. Since 'Bad Kid' is set in NY... have I written the weather and landscapes fairly accurate??
Thanks for kind words on this chapter. You're so sweet. And thanks for the fire-work. It was cute. :)
I hope you had a good 4th. I spent mine in bed. But I am feeling much better now days. I hope that means things are on the upswing for me. God bless, sweet girl. Tsuki
xia xue: Yes, you're on time!! Whoo hoo!! You are so funny... you make me laugh every time. :) What are you staying up til 1-2 in the morning to play?? Is it a good game?? I love video games... so what is it? I wanna know if I have it or not. wink Thanks for the review. Glad your still lovin' it. God Bless kiddo. Take care.
Lyger Yuy: Glad you like the story. Hope you liked this chapter, and thanks for you concern about my health. I'm getting better. God Bless. See ya soon.
BelleDayNight: Belle, Belle, Belle.... I am going to read 'Heart of a Wolf' today as well as the new 'Angel' clip you sent me. I swear, you are one of the most 'idea' prolific authors I ever met. :) And your stuff is so damn good too.
Glad you liked the chapter. Tried to make it as interesting as possible by bringing in the twists I'd been planning. Looks like I twisted everybody up right along with them. That's the fun part about being the author... but then, you already know that. I hope you liked this chapter too. It got long while I was writing it. It just kept coming and coming. Haven't had that happen for a while. Felt good for a change. There are more confrontations to come... God Bless, Belle. Take care, dear friend. Arigato.
Luraia Soul: Awesome is good. And I'm glad you loved it. It's the story that takes the most 'out' of me to write. I hope you liked this chapter to. It really took a lot out of me, but I enjoyed writing it. God Bless, Luraia. See ya soon.
Unknown beedee: I read your update... I liked it. :) A stripper club? Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous.
Anywhoo... I am feeling better... thank heaven. Thanks for your concern. I will finish this story, come hell or high water. Some how, I will finish it. Thanks for the encouragement. God bless, kiddo
Nguardian: WoW! 3 reviews in the same day! I'm not sure I know how to act. blushes
Girls night out... swimming, BBQ, cookies AND brownies....? I loves cookies and brownies. Now I'm hungry.
I shocked everybody with Cleo... it was fun. :) It didn't come out of left field, but it did come from somewhere inside of my brain that I don't use very often. Hehehehe... Glad you liked it. Also glad you liked the fight scene. I so wanted to actually cut that asshole in half... but I had to restrain myself... it was; however, a pleasant fantasy for several moments.
Haven't seen you on-line since we chatted that one day, but I think about you often. Hope you are well. God bless, and take care. Tsuki-san
One black tear: You flatter me. Thank you from the bottom of my old lady's heart. God Bless. I hope you liked this chapter. Hope to see you again.
FangsOfTheDragon: Totally awesome name. I've been called the 'Dragon Lady' for almost 15 years by close friends because I collect dragons. They are all over my house. Pictures, pewter figures, ceramics, t-shirts, posters, slippers, sheets, uniforms... everywhere. 3 years ago I got a midevil dragon tattooed on my left forearm. He's great! There is a picture of it on my webpage if you want to see it. You can get to my webby off my author's page. Anyway... I'm flattered you think the story is Awesome... I've gotten teary eyed myself while writing it a few times too. It is a difficult story to write sometimes, because it takes a lot of emotional energy out of me... there is a lot of me in this story, but it is also my personal favorite out of all of my fictions so far. My 'vampire' story is my second fav.
I hope you liked this chapter... I hope it answered some of your questions about Kaoru. And thanks for your compliments about my ability to turn Hiko into the bad guy. I love Hiko... but somebody had to be the bad guy.
God Bless, my friend. Hope to see you again.
M plus M: Thank you. You flatter me. Actually, I know quite a few adults who like fanfiction and write it. But, interestingly enough, I am still the OLDEST person I know who writes it... I guess that makes me 'Grandma' or something. LOLOL I just call myself the 'Old Lady' and leave it at that. Any way... I am glad you like the story enough to drop me a review. Hope to see you again. God Bless. HTML would'nt let me put a plus sign in... blarg!
Kik-ting: I am feeling better... thanks. :) Careful how you set in that chair, kid. Don't want you falling out and busting your head. And, no... the fight is not over... Edmond and Daniel are still going to cross swords and fists. It's coming... oh boy, is it coming. Take care, sweetie. Remember what I said about that chair. :)
InuLimbo: I love the dog-eared boy! He's definitively just as yummy as Kenshin any day. o In fact, I have a one shot over on in the IY section just for him and Kagome. Fiddling around with a Sessh/Kag pairing right now. Don't know if I'll post it or not though. Just fiddling.
I'm pleased I was able to grasp your attention seeing as you aren't a real supernatural-type fan. I'm glad I wrote something you like. I hope you liked this chapter. It was definitely of the supernatural tendencies. Hope to see you again. God Bless. Inuyasha rocks
De Lazy Lime: I hope most of your questions are answered... Kaoru and Quii were under the lighthouse. I haven't decided if I'm going to save Hiko... mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha! If you were Edmond/Kenshin, wouldn't you be out of patience too? Unfortunately... Daniel/Hiko don't really give a rip. Go figure. wink Hope you liked the chapter, girly. I see you're still staying up to all hours... gotta love ya. God bless and much love. Take care.
Kaoru-890: Never thought about writing movies, but now that you mention it... you know, when I write, I look at the scenes in my head like they are movies. I watch them unfold the frames in a video, I even have a ffw and a rw feature. I never even thought of that until I read your review. Man, I must be really strange. You guys are going to start thinking I smoke weed or somthing... damn. Hope you liked the chapter. God Bless, Kaoru. Love hearing from you.
HaPPyBuNNy: ThERe'S My gIrL... One of these days I'm gonna get nauseous and throw up doing all that up and down shit. LOLOLOL Didn't mean to creep you out, girly.... well, maybe a little. o I hope you liked the chapter... and I hope you didn't get toooo creeped out. Oh, and by the way... are you sure it isn't 'psychotic bunny' instead of 'Psychic Bunny'? wink... giggle Love you baby. See you soon.
Midi Tenshi: My little Angel girl...I hate stupid computers. Be careful when they beep at you. It usually means they are getting ready to morph into something that devours human flesh. o Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're still loving the story. Hope this chapter was up to expectations. And by the way... I didn't know you wrote... What fanfiction do you write???
Thank you to all the reviewers who contact through e-mail and via instant message. I love chatting with everybody who IM's me. There are so many, and several of them have become dear friends who come to chat everyday. But I want everyone to know, you guys are like a second family to me. It means so much to me to 'hear' what you have to say, and 'listening' to your encouraging voices (especially when my health goes for a noser) is one of the things that really keeps me going. I just want to send out a great big 'Thank-you' and a great big '((((HUG))))' to each and every one of you. You all hold a special place in my life and in my heart. God Bless, and take care always. KnT