Mmm, playing songs by ear. Fun. Well, not fun, once you get good at it its boring, but it still took up a good hour last night. Stupid Lord of the Rings soundtrack which is unfairly brilliant...

sora29leon: Oh, okay, thanks. Stupid google translator...

Anjyu: Oh, California! That's it. Thanks. And sorry about the rating on 'This girls my angel'... I intended it to be a oneshot and never changed the rating after I mad it into a multi-chapter. I re-read chapters 5 and 7 and you're right, it should definitely be at least T

Generic note: the italics are still French, but this time I put most of it in English, because its a longer argument and there's no point in writing it if almost nobody would be able to read it. I also have a friend who may or may not be working on a Layla/Yuri smut scene, but she hasn't got back to me yet. Yes, Sean, she's the same person who wrote the George/Bobby one for 'Everyone has a Past'

Chapter 4

After everybody besides Rosetta had been released the next morning, they all convened in the lobby of the hospital, waiting for Sarah, Anna, Mia, and Marion to come over. Kalos had left once he learned that all his employee's were going to be fine, though nobody was going to be able to work for a while. Rosetta's mother should have gotten into town about an hour ago and be on her way to the hospital now, so they were all waiting for her arrival.

Sora sighed, leaning back against the wall and rubbing her eyes sleepily as she looked around at her battered friends. Leon had barely recovered from the last incident, and now he had to start all over again. Layla, who had been about a week from getting the cast off her arm, now was looking at another month in it- she had hit Derek in the had so hard with her cast, it had caused a hairline fracture in her arm. Yuri had broken one rib and sprained his ankle, so he wouldn't be working for at least three weeks. Ken would be out of work until he got over his concussion, and with a baby on the way, he needed all the cash he could get. The only one who wasn't there was Rosetta, still unconscious on the third floor.

Leon noticed her looking around at all of them sadly and he walked over to her, taking her hand. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking down at her.

She sighed, chewing on her lower lip anxiously before explaining, "Look at everyone. Derek just about killed all of us, and I'm the one that suggested we go down there in the first place. If I had just talked to Rosetta the next time she came down to Kaleido Stage, then none of this would of happened."

"Sora, if you had waited to talk to her, she would be dead. You heard the doctor; we barely got her to the hospital in time."

She shrugged and allowed Leon to wrap his arm around her shoulder. "There was no real 'right choice' in this, Sora. But you didn't have any idea that Derek would be able to do this... in fact, I'm still not sure how he managed to take us all out."

With another groan, Sora leaned her head into his shoulder and was about to keep talking when a familiar redhead rushed into the hospital, looking around frantically. When she saw the Kaleido Stars gathered around near the corner, waiting for her, she dashed over to them and demanded through a thick French accent, "What the hell is going on? Where is my daughter?"

Sora, who was Rosetta's closest friend, stepped forward and said, "She's in the ICU, on the third floor... let me show you where she is, and-"

"What happened to her? Why is she even in the hospital in the first place?"

Sora led her to the elevator and said softly, "We're still not exactly sure what's going on, but we believe that Rosetta was being abused by her boyfriend, Derek. Don't worry, the police arrested him and they're charging him with 6 counts of assault, he's not getting away with this."

Rosetta's mother closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, trembling slightly. "God, I was worried about her living on her own... she's so young, only 17... no, no, this is it! Once the hospital lets her go I'm taking her right back to France so she can get started on her diabolo career again! No more of this trapeze nonsense! I knew it was a bad idea when I heard it and now its almost killed her! I'm not-"

"Wait, wait, Ms. Pascal," Sora said quickly, eyes widening in shock. "This had nothing to do with being a trapeze artist, this was only about Derek! This could of happened at home in France, too, taking her back with you won't change any of that!"

"No! I would of noticed she was being abused, I would of done something about it! I'm not letting her stay in America and get killed!" Rosetta's mother was frantic, clearly worried sick about her daughter. Sora didn't blame her.

After a moment of hesitation, Sora said softly, "Look, I'm sorry we didn't realize and protect your daughter sooner, but... that's in the past. And I know you think this is your fault, because you let her live here alone, but Rosetta's birthday is in two months. If you force her to come back to France with you now, she'll just return in two months, when she's legal, but it'll cause fights. And Rosetta will never-"

"You don't tell me how to raise my daughter! I'm taking her back to France and that's that!" Sora watched her storm out of the elevator and bit her lip, knowing how Rosetta would take the news and wishing she could do something to stop it.

When Rose Pascal finally entered her daughter's room, she had to bite her tongue to stop a soft cry from leaving her lips. She had never seen her like this before. If possible, she looked paler than normal, her normally neat red hair all messy and unkempt. The bruises on her face were bad enough to make her wince in sympathy, and the cut with stitches on her forehead made Rose want to burst into tears.

Rosetta looked up when she heard someone at the door and her tired eyes widened in shock. "Mama?" she asked, surprised, looking her up and down. "What... what are you doing here?"

Rose's face softened as she walked slowly closer and swallowed back her anger. "You're my daughter, Rosetta. Why wouldn't I be here?"

Rosetta took in a breath and looked away, biting her lip. "Mama, really... you don't have to be here. I mean, a flight from France to America is expensive, and-"

"Shh," Rose interrupted, softly taking her hand. "Shush, you. I reiterate, you're my daughter. Of course I'm here. And when the hospital lets you go, I'm taking you back home to France, and all this stage nonsense will be over with, understand? I don't-"

"Mama!" Rosetta exclaimed, propping herself up on her elbows and shaking her head angrily. "No, no- I want to stay in America, with my friends! There's nothing dangerous about it! I promise, Mama!"

"Rosetta, you say its not dangerous, but you say it from a hospital bed! I'm your mother, I'm not going to make the same mistake I did last year and leave you here alone again. nd don't try to change my mind, Rosetta, its made up."

Rosetta stared at her in shock, then said slowly, "But... but Mama, it wasn't a mistake! I'm so happy now! I don't want to go back to France, not now! Please, Mama, I don't need you to protect me! Please let me stay here, Mama, please!"

"No! I'm your mother, I know what's best for you, and that's the end of that."

"Fine then! When I turn 18 in two months you won't be able to stop me, and I'll just come back to Kaleido Stage then!"

"Rosetta!" Rose gasped. "You will do no such thing! Its too dangerous; I won't allow it!"

Rosetta glared at her, then said, "Mama, I love you, but I love the stage too! Not the diabolo, I love Kaleido Stage, and I'm staying in America! If you want to force me back to France for two months then fine, go ahead and do it, but once I turn 18 I'm coming back!"

Rose stared at her for a second, then sighed and hid her face in her hands. "God, Rosetta... I just... I haven't seen in you in so long, and when I finally do, its because you're in the hospital. I miss you, I want you home. You're growing up, and... I'm missing it. You don't even seem like my daughter anymore. God, you even talk like these silly Americans."

Rosetta chuckled, then said, "I still remember my French, Mama. Je t'adore," she tacked on with a grin. Rose smiled slightly and blushed, looking away. "So? Can I stay in America?"

Rose hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. Yes, you can. But you're not staying here alone. I'm staying with you for the next couple months."

Rosetta groaned and started, "Mama-"

"Don't even bother, Rosetta. I'm staying here and that's that." Rosetta just smiled and rolled her eyes.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"So... that's all over," Sora stated as she walked into Leon's spacious apartment and looked around, unsure of what else to say.

"Yep." Leon seemed at a loss too- while he didn't Rosetta as well as Sora did, he still cared for her, and was shocked that this had been going on for over a year and none of them had picked up on it.

Sora flopped beside him on the couch, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Kind of makes you think. You know. About-" She was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. "Ugh!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Why is it that every time we're alone together, I just have to get a phone call?

Leon chuckled as he kissed her neck. "Better answer it, it may be Sarah," he teased. "And you know how much she'll bother you if she finds out you ignored one of her calls."

"Yes, well, she wouldn't find out," Sora stated stubbornly, shaking her head and still refusing to answer the phone.

"Well, she could. I could tell her."

"Leon!" Sora gasped and raised her head to look at him. "You wouldn't!" He just laughed and nodded that yes, he would. Sora moaned loudly before taking out her phone and answering it. "What? Oh! Oh, hi Jerry. ...mmhmm... oh, that makes sense. Yeah, thanks for the call. Bye Jerry." She hung up, then glanced up at Leon with a grin. "Well, this should make you feel better- the reason Derek was able to take all of you out so easily is because he was in special forces for a couple years. So, in fact, you should be giving me and Layla both medals for our amazing ninja fighting skills."

Leon scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Amazing ninja fighting skills? Sora, it took both of you juggling a baseball bat back in forth- wait a minute, I'm the one that knocked him out! I'm the one with amazing ninja fighting skills, I should be getting the medals!"

Sora just grinned and snuggled closer to him. "Yes, but Layla and I distracted him. So we're really the ones that should get the medals."

Leon shook his head. "No, no, I get the medal. I dealt the final blow."

Sora raised an eyebrow, then turned around in his arms and kissed him. "Does this change your mind?" she asked once she finally pulled away.

He hesitated, then shook his head. "Nope, I'm not convinced yet. Maybe you could give me another one?" Sora smiled brightly and leaned forward once again, pressing her lips to his. This time, when she pulled away, Leon nodded breathlessly. "Yep. I'm convinced. You get all the medals."

Sora nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I'll make sure to tell Layla," she said before kissing him again.

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