5

Teresa walked to school alone. She watched the scenery around her and smiled, I'm free today, if only for a little while, she wasn't aware that she had stopped moving. I'm out in the open and I can run for as long as I can last, her smiled faded as another thought came to her mind, until he calls me back inside, until his cold voice calls my body into his cold hands to be with him in his cold room.

"Teresa," Teresa whipped around to face Yuki, Kyo and Tohru.

"What are you doing here?" Teresa asked, the question mainly pointed to Tohru who was smiling at her.

"Walking to school, the same thing you were doing until you stopped and decided to space out," Kyo snapped.

Hmm, he must've picked up on the fact I pointed my question at Tohru, "Alright mind if I walk with you?"

"Sure, I'd like that!" Tohru smiled and Teresa smiled back, but as soon as Teresa was where Tohru couldn't see her, her smile faded. Why is she so nice?"

But her question went unanswered as she walked.

Tohru noticed Teresa was quiet and decided to pull her into the conversation, "Teresa," Teresa turned her head to Tohru as though she had been startled, "Um, Yuki and Kyo told me you had been in Kyoto, um did you like?"

"I don't know," Teresa looked thoughtful for a moment, "There were some things I liked, and others I didn't. I liked where I was, but I didn't like the fact that most of the time I was alone, my parents were usually busy with other things," Teresa had obviously been talking without thinking because when she saw them watching her she blushed, "What are you all watching me for?!"

Teresa walked quickly ahead of them and Kyo caught up to her throwing an arm around her shoulder. "She said she was alone most of the time," Tohru felt sad for the girl.

"Miss Honda?" Yuki looked questionably at her.

"I think it'd be terrible to be alone for most of the time! Maybe we can invite Teresa to come over after school, do you think she'd liked that Yuki?"

Yuki smiled, she's always trying to help someone, "I'm sure she would."

"I'll go ask her right now!" Tohru ran ahead to catch up with Kyo and Teresa with Yuki following behind.

"Teresa," Tohru stopped running as she caught up to them.

"What is it Tohru?" Teresa leaned forward as Kyo was in her way.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over to hang out after school?" Tohru looked up to see Arisa and Hana coming over to them.

"Hey Teresa," Arisa said.

"Hey Arisa, sorry Tohru I have other things to do," she shoved Kyo's arm off of her.

Tohru's face fell, "Oh, ok then maybe next time," she smiled again.

"Yeah maybe," Teresa answered with an almost annoyed tone to Tohru. Arisa and Hana exchanged glances, they didn't like how Teresa was treating there Tohru.

As the day progressed Hana and Arisa watched Teresa more closely to see if there was anything else they didn't like about her. "I think we should go talk to her, tell her we'll step in if she's cold towards Tohru anymore," Arisa sighed.

"Arisa, don't you think that's a little rash?" Hana asked.

"Rash!? Hana, you've seen what she does! She's fine with the Sohmas but when she's with Tohru she acts as if everything she does annoys her! We need to do something!" Arisa practically yelled.

"You need to do something about what?" both girls turned to see a very confused Tohru.

"Oh Tohru," Arisa ran a hand along the back of her neck.

"We were talking about needing to do something about our English homework," Hana said.

"We were?" Arisa now looked confused, "Oh yeah of course," she laughed.

"Alright then," Tohru smiled and scurried off to class the bell rang. Arisa sighed, that was close.

Teresa was out at lunch sitting under a tree with a notebook propped up on her knee and her half-eaten lunch to the side. She heard someone sit down next to her but she didn't look up as she was too engulfed in what she was writing.

"Writing a story?" she recognized the voice as Haru's.

"Yep," Teresa answered without looking up. Haru's hand darted to the page and stole the book from her.

"Haru! Give it back!" Teresa yelled.

Haru chuckled, "Come on, I haven't read anything you've wrote," he read the story while keeping an eye on Teresa.

"Because I don't want you too, now give it back!" Teresa got up and was now facing him.

"Nope," he looked up just in time to see Teresa tackle him. She reached for the book but he twisted away. As they scrambled for it Teresa elbowed Haru in stomach and doubled over allowing her to take the book from him.

"Ha!" she sang triumphantly but turned and saw Haru glaring at her from where he sat.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," he said darkly.

Teresa sweat dropped, black Haru, "Haru come on I wanted the book back," she held up her hands in surrender.

"Surrendering won't help you know," he trapped her between his arms against a tree; "No, it won't do a thing," he smirked.

"Haru!" Haru turned towards the voice and saw Yuki walking over to them.

"Hey Yuki," Teresa slumped down against the tree relieved that Haru had gone white again. Teresa gathered her things and walked over to where the guys, including Kyo, were conversing.

"Hey," Teresa slid in next to Kyo.

"Hello Teresa," Yuki smiled at her.

"Come on Tree," Kyo grabbed her arm and pulled Teresa away.

"Hey! Kyo," she walked normally beside him now, "What was that for?"

"Are you alright?" Teresa was confused at his question.

"What are you talking about?"

"Haru went black on you, I saw it. he didn't hurt you or anything did he?! Because if he did?!-"

Teresa laughed cutting Kyo off, "Kyo, I'm fine. Quit acting so protective of me I can take care of myself."

Kyo threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him, "Sorry little sister, I'll always be protective of you. Now scram!" Teresa chuckled before leaving to her next class. Kyo watched his "sister" leave and a small smile came to his face. He was glad she was back, and she seemed so happy. But what Kyo didn't know is that most of the time, she wasn't happy, she was a prisoner to her daydreams and to her "master."

When school ended Teresa began walking home when footsteps behind her caused her to turn around. She was surprised to see Haru running to catch up with her, "Hey Haru," Haru stopped beside her.

"Hey. I wanted to apologize for going black on you today," he told her.

Teresa shrugged, "No biggie, I'd just rather it not happen again."

"Haru chuckled, "Yeah, anyway I have to go get Kisa want to come?"

Haru noticed Teresa visibly brighten at the mention of the young girl, "I'd love to!"

Haru and Teresa walked over to the elementary school and saw Kisa walking from the school by herself, "Kisa!" Teresa called.

Kisa looked up and saw the two, she ran towards Teresa.

Teresa knelt down and embraced the girl, "Kisa I've missed you."

Kisa only nodded in Teresa's arms. Teresa held the girl's hand as the three of them walked back to the Sohma estate. Teresa frowned, Kisa hadn't said anything to the whole way there, why wasn't she talking? Teresa led Kisa to Haru's small house and said goodbye to the pair before leaving to Akito's.

Akito was sitting outside when she arrived, "I trust that you noticed something different about Kisa?"

"Yes I did. Akito, why wasn't she speaking?"

Akito sighed, "Come here." Teresa obeyed and walked over to him. Akito stood up and pulled her towards him, she placed her hands on his which were around her waist.

"Why are you so worried about Kisa? She'll be fine," Akito tightened his grip a fraction, "Forget about her," he whispered to her.

Akito led Teresa back inside and put his arms around her waist as she faced him, "You always look so sad, it becomes annoying after a while."

"I'm sorry," Teresa looked up only to have his lips meet hers. Teresa shivered at his touch and wished she was anywhere else but there. Akito kissed her roughly and Teresa was made to kiss back, she felt his fingers dig into her back pressuring her, she kissed more and the pressure released.

He broke away from her and smirked, "You must've gotten used to it." Teresa nodded in response. Akito lay down on the futon and sighed. "Come," he called to her.

Teresa slowly made her way over to where he was and lay down reluctantly beside him. His arms snaked around her in way that made it feel as though she wasn't more than a servant to him, in a way I am. Eventually the two of them fell asleep like that.