Okay, don't kill me. I realize it's been...
Hell, I don't know. It's been a long time.
But I gave you a double-length chapter with fluff AND suspense!
And I'm sorry it's been so long.
If this ever happens again, message my butt till I update!

"Jake? You still here?" I called as I opened the door to my house.

"Yeah, Ame - we need to talk. Now." my brother answered from the other room. He sounded unusually serious. I wondered what could be wrong.

I followed his voice into the family room to find him sitting on the couch, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. Sitting down beside my brother, I asked, "What's with you?"

Jake didn't look at me. "When I came home from work early this morning, there was a letter sitting on the doorstep."

Immediately, I grew suspicious. An ordinary letter wouldn't have him upset like this. The only time my brother got angry was when someone tried to hurt me or anyone else he cared about. Jake was usually a pretty easygoing guy. This letter, then...it was bad news.

"Is from who I think it's from?" I had a horrible suspicion...

"Yes." Jake answered simply, then looked me in the eye. "I've already made calls. I don't know how she found us, but she did. The police are looking for her. She -"

"Save it. I don't want anything more to do with that woman. It was over the day you took me out of there." I started to get up and leave, but Jake grabbed my hand.

"Read it, Ame. I know how this must make you feel, but you need to know what she said. The letter was addressed to you."

"Fine." I snatched it out of his hand.

Melody,

I know you've tried to hide from me. And I admit, you did well.
It took a long time for me to track you down. But now I've found you.
You're going to pay, because it's your fault my life is hell.
Keep your eyes open. Keep looking behind you.
Because someday I'll come for you, and that will be the end of it.

-Mother.

By the time I finished reading the letter, the paper was nearly torn in two.

Many emotions bubbled up inside me - but mostly two. Anger. And fear. I remembered the last day I'd seen my mom.

The day Jake took a surprise visit home from college, he had walked in on my mother giving me the worst punishment of my life. She had been slicing my neck and arms with a single large knife. The ones on my neck were superficial(though they left deep scars), but my forearms had gaping slashes. I had attempted to run away from her and get help. Mommy dearest wasn't having any of that. Usually I was punished with a few kicks or punches. Maybe a cut or two.

But that last day my arms and neck were dyed red. If Jake hadn't come when he did, I probably would have bled out. But he stopped my mom. Called an ambulance and police.

By the time they got there my mother was long gone. Nobody had ever found her. So that's why Jake and I had changed our names - him from Jake Coleman to Jake Arashi, me from Melody Coleman to Ame Arashi - I didn't want to ever hear my old name again anyway. We moved.

All of that because the vile woman was still out there.

"Ame, I -" Jake tried to say.

I gave a short laugh. "She made herself sound like the boogeyman...anyway, I have things to do. I...have friends to hang out with." I stood up.

"But -"

"I don't want to talk about it. If she's out there, she's out there. That's how it's always been. I'm not going to let her dominate me again." She had no right. And though the letter made me unsettled, I would put it behind me like everything else. "If she comes, she'll find me ready." My life wouldn't stop for her, not anymore.

Because right now, she wasn't here, and I couldn't find her. But one thing had been right in her letter.

The day we met again, it would be over.

About an hour later, I left my room, clothes now changed and hair up odango style for the occasion.

I'd told Jake I was going out with Kaoru - I'd mentioned the guys a few times before. He gave me a lecture about being 'careful' - as if I needed it. I could take care of myself. But I get the feeling he was more worried about Mom. I was too, but I tried to put the letter out of my mind. And the way of my brother and I was humor. We'd avoid bad things that way.

"D'awww - too cute." Jake said. He normally would be leaving for work about now, but wanted to stay and meet my date...it felt strange saying that. I was sure tonight would be full of awkward.

Yep, my hair was up, I was wearing a black skirt with a swirling violet pattern, a purple shirt, black gloves and scarf, and somewhat-snazzy flip-flops. I blew a raspberry at my teasing brother.

"Well, at least I have a date - you're thirty and single."

He started to retaliate, but there was a knock on the door. He grinned evilly and went to answer.

"Oh no you don't!" I flashed past him and opened the door. Hikaru stood there, looking a little surprised - he'd probably heard Jake and I race to the door. "Hey! What are you doing here, Hikaru?"

"I – I'm Kaoru!"

"No, you're not. I can tell you two apart." I heard my brother laugh behind me.

"Yeah, yeah." I spotted a bit of light orange coming from behind a tree. "Come in before I kick your butt, Kaoru! I know you two switched places!"

Kaoru walked out from behind the large tree, looking pleased. "Gotcha! Thanks, bro." He said to Hikaru. Hikaru winked at me, mimed tipping his hat, then headed off towards a blue car.

"Hi, Ame!" Kaoru began, walking in, then spoke to my brother, "I heard you're a mechanic of some kind. I don't really know any mechanics. I'm Kaoru."

This meeting reminded me of a story Haruhi had told me about when the guys first went to her house. And I'd heard stories about the twins tricking girls before...This pissed me off. Kaoru had asked me out, not the other way around!

"Jake. So, you decided to go out with this freak show? Good luck, man." Jake pulled me back to him and squeezed my hair buns.

"Hey!" I elbowed him in the gut. "Jerk. We're going to miss the movies. We'd better get going."

A second later, I realized Kaoru was laughing.

"You're a jerk too." I pretended to be offended.

"Aw, just get out of here already. Be careful, don't touch her or I'll kill you, have a nice night, and all that." By the end of my brother's ramblings Kaoru and I were out the door.

We looked at each other for a moment, then cracked up. As we walked to his car - an orange one I'd never seen before - Kaoru asked, "Aren't most brothers more...I don't know, more protective than that?"

He opened my door for me as I replied, "Yeah, and don't worry, if this keeps happening, he will be. But then again, he knows I could castrate you with a small fork if I wanted to, so..." I trailed off as Kaoru stared at me looking a bit nervous, then burst out laughing.

"Only you." He said as we drove off.

"So, what theater are we going to?"

"Fan-so. They do showings of popular anime every other weekend."

"Ah." I'd gone there once or twice before; it was in the heart of Tokyo. It wasn't the biggest theater, and I was surprised that Kaoru knew about it. We'd be driving for at least fifteen minutes. "So...what the hell was that thing with Hikaru?"

"He insisted. He wanted to be sure you could tell us apart." Kaoru laughed.

The two of us rode in silence for a few minutes until Kaoru asked, "Is something wrong?"

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you're acting different than usual...you're quieter."

He really noticed?...Wow. "It's nothing...Look, we're almost here."

In case you people didn't already know, I really don't like talking about you-know-who. (And it's NOT Voldemort)

Several people were loitering outside the movie and in the lobby. Some of them had decided to go all out for the occasion. I rolled my eyes at the fails. "Some people clearly don't know the first thing about cosplay..."

"I know." Kaoru said, "Every Halloween my mother releases a special line of costumes. Oh my god, look at her hair!" Kaoru snickered at a middle school kid who had done a complete fail at odango. Her hair was a puffy mess.

I tried to swallow my laugh as we passed the girl to get our tickets. Kaoru and I loaded ourselves up with overpriced candy and entered the theater and sat in the very back row. (Not for the reason you're thinking. The best view of the movie is back there!)

We sat and talked about our plans for the costume day at club, and the seats gradually filled with buzzing moonies. After about fifteen minutes, the lights dimmed and the crowd cheered as Moonlight Dentetsu began playing.

"I have to say, I prefer Makenai as a theme song." I whispered to Kaoru.

"Is that from the last season? I never watched it."

I nodded and we began watching. Kaoru and I laughed through the first movie and I paid rapt attention to the second one, as Hearts in Ice was my favorite.

As we entered the lobby when both movies had ended, Kaoru took my hand. I tensed for a second and almost hit him, thinking he was going to pull something, but then I realized he just wanted to hold my hand.

This. Was. Weird. But then again, I kind of liked it. Most people were scared off by me, but Kaoru didn't care. He hadn't even freaked when I told him about...my grip on his hand tightened as I thought of her.

We exited the theater and Kaoru paused.

"Ame? Ame, are you all right?"Kaoru asked. I looked at him, and there was a concerned expression on his face. "I said your name about ten times."

"What? I...I'm f-"

"Don't say you're fine. I can see it in your eyes. Something happened."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ame, if you never tell anyone anything, nothing good will happen. Come on. Don't you trust me?"

I sighed angrily. He wasn't going to let this go. "It was my goddam mother, okay? She found me."

Kaoru's eyes went wide. He clearly hadn't been expecting this. "Wh - are you okay? She didn't do anything, did she?"

I shook my head. "I didn't see her. But she left the creepiest letter on our doorstep this morning. She's going to come eventually, I know it. And when she does, I'll...I'll..."

Kaoru suddenly hugged me. "Listen, Ame." He said, very softly. "I'm here for you if she comes back, okay? Everyone is. She won't hurt you again.

"Kaoru..."

"Remember what I said? You're not alone anymore."

Wow. I do congratulate myself on that ending.
I think it was superb.
Anyway, next chapter is the Anime Day at club...
But what will Ame's mother do? What is she planning?
WHEN THE FUCK WILL KAORU KISS AME, DAMMIT?!
Review, and I promise the next update will be much, much sooner!