Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait (again) by schedule has been all wack. That, and most of my creative juices have been being spent on my original novel that hopefully isn't doomed to fail like my other one! (It's a fantasy this time, I'm so excited! I'm writing about dragons and elves and mermaids and fairies... So much awesomeness).

Time to get back on topic here. I'm being super OCD today! This here is the winner of the voting for my 50 Stories Special! (Option 2B, in case you were wondering). I love you all, this is a gift to you~!

Prompt: In a moment of weakness, Anna finds herself showing Kai a different side of her.

Pairing: Kai/Anna.

Timeframe: Sometime in-between Sacrifice and Desire.

Rating: T to be safe. Mentions of death and moderate swearing. (Suprisingly mild considering the fact that this is Kanna XD)

SPOILERS FOR ANYTHING FROM THE SECRET SAMURAI SERIES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

-Black Ink-

-Written as My 50th Story Special-

The rain sure wasn't helping her mood.

Sure, she was always cold and disconnected, but never like this. Never before had she lost someone she cared about so deeply... No one ever cared about her, no one but her...The one woman who could make her smile, make her laugh. The woman she only saw three times a year, which was never enough. The woman she wished she could move in with... But no more.

She had been shocked when her mother handed her that letter that morning. Never was there any mail addressed to her; it was always for her parents. Not recognizing the address, she decided to wait to open it.

Now, she wasn't sure whether or not she regretted that choice. Sure, it saved her from being in extreme emotional agony at school today, but now she stood in direct firing range of her friends. The people that would actually notice... She was already prepared to push them away, lie through her teeth, tell them that the tears on her face were only raindrops. She would crumple the letter up in the palm of her hand, throw it off the edge of the Bounty, show them that it meant nothing... Even though it was so damn important.

That letter...told her of her aunt's untimely death. She had been taken by disease a month prior, which slowly started weakening here. She knew she probably wouldn't make it... In a last ditch effort to go see her brother, she got in a car accident. She survived, but it weakened her just enough to ensure that she would not live. She died two days later from the disease.

This letter stated it all, in formal, emotionless language. It had been written by her aunt's doctor, who knew how close their bond was. The words reminded her of the old death telegrams from the war...

She gazes at the soaked paper once more, watching as the black ink bleeds down the paper onto her right hand, tainting her skin. The words had become smudged and illegible, but they still burned in her mind.

Dear Miss Anna, I am writing to regretfully inform you of the death of your aunt, Caroline Boylend. She died in her sleep two nights ago, weakened by a car crash that took place not too long ago...

"It...it isn't fair..." Anna whispers to herself. "What have I done to deserve this? From the moment of my birth, they didn't care... No parental love at all... Just detachment. Was I an accident?" She bites down on her lip. "They only want my brother, not me..." She gazes at the sky. "And now...the one person who wanted me...is gone."

"Are you saying no one cares about you?" a voice asks. "Because that's a load of BS."

"Go away," Anna snaps, her voice shaking. She clenches down on the letter, crumpling it more. A raindrop splatters on her head, cold and sudden.

"No." Kai's voice is firm. "Do you think I'm just gonna walk away?"

"How much did you hear?!" Fear is evident in Anna's voice. Kai doesn't reply. She whirls around, grabbing onto the front of his shirt. "How. Much. Did. You. Hear?" she hisses between clenched teeth.

Surprisingly calm, Kai replies with, "Only that someone who cared about you gone. I'm really sorry." Shocked at his sympathy and honesty, Anna slowly releases her tense grip on his shirt. A bit confused of what to do next, she turns away from him.

"I don't want to talk."

"That's okay," Kai tells her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to say a word. I just think you need a hug."

She whirls around to face him again. "Don't touch me." Her tone is harsh, but her voice wavers unsteadily. Kai's shoulders sag. He can see the pain in her eyes, hollow and empty. Her tears were nonexistent, either mixed with the rain or gone completely. He was almost positive she had cried earlier, but all evidence was gone now. She certainly was good at hiding her feelings.

But this once, her weakness shone through. It sang to him, a heartbroken melody. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, rub soothing circles onto her back, let her cry into his chest. She needed a hug badly. He could tell.

"Anna." He approaches her again, this time not touching her. "Hey... I understand, alright? I lost my mother at a young age, and my father died only a few years ago. It's still pretty fresh... Not as fresh as yours, of course, but still..." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "And guess what? We're not the only ones. Everyone on this boat has felt some sort of deep emotional loss, whether it was permanent like mine or Abigail's or temporary like Jay's and Zane's. We've all lost someone we care about..."

"Right..." Anna laughs coldly, her voice heavy. "I doubt it."

"Cole has no mother and used to have a rocky relationship with his father," Kai begins. Anna looks up, shocked. "Jay lost Nya for a long time, thinking she was dead. Abigail's parents are divorced, Nya and I are orphans, Zane lost his father and his memories, Lloyd's family is all messed up, Christy has no father, and who knows what's going on with Lindsey's life." He leans forward towards Anna, reaching forward to wipe a raindrop off her cheek. "You are never alone..."

Anna glances down at his hand, her cheeks slightly pink. Quickly she moves away, leaving his hand to fall back to his side. "I am alone. I always will be. I'm detached and seemingly emotionless because I don't understand how to be kind. I was never taught. My parents were never kind to me. The little bit of kindness I have I've learned from Abigail or my...my aunt..."

She glances over her shoulder, then turns once more. She locks eyes with Kai, hazel to hazel. "All I am is a mistake. A mess. A rude, selfish, bitch who should've never been born. When I die, I'm going to hell and never coming back. I don't have a choice in this world." Her body is shaking. "Everyone on this team is dedicated to fighting evil, killing it, abolishing it. But me? I am evil. I don't deserve to be part of this team. I should leave, and never come back."

"Then why'd you agree to stay?" His words hit her like a brick in the stomach. Her eyes narrow, then slowly widen. A look of total innocence comes out of them, gentle and understanding, like a child finally learning what 'beautiful' means.

"Because..." she whispers. She digs her fingernails into her palm. "Because..." She looks up at Kai, lost for words. "I...I don't know." He reaches out, taking her stained hands. The black ink smudges onto his palm and fingers, marking them.

"It's because this is where you belong," he explains gently. "This is your home, your family. You have no need to go to hell, Anna. You may be harsh, but you aren't inhumane or cruel." He touches his forehead to hers. "We can teach you how to be kind, Anna. We can show the world like you've never seen before... All you have to do is trust us... Open yourself up to us... And believe that we really are your family."

Anna closes her eyes, stunned to silence. She says nothing, just stands there with her forehead against Kai's, and her hand in his. She doesn't speak. But it doesn't matter, because he knows that silence is her way of acceptance.

She has a whole new road ahead, a person she has not yet become. She will always be a bit cold and harsh, but she can learn to control it. He has faith in her, because he knows, that somewhere behind that hard shell...is the light.

Sorry if the cover photo was misleading (I made it online, by the way). I apologize. A hug will come, my dear friends, all in good time.

Anyway, please leave a review and tell me how I did! I've been trying to improve with sad/emotional scenes, so it'd be super helpful.

~ForeverDreamer12, signing out! :)