Dissociation

Chapter Four

-Wooing-

The next day, Akito called a florist and had a large arrangement sent to Natsumi at the hospital. He knew she would love it, because not only was it made up of lilies, her favorite flower, but he had also placed one yellow orchid in the center. When they had first begun dating, he had done the same thing, telling her that it symbolized how she was the sun in his life, always making it brighter.

He was very proud of his genius in doing such a thing, and he had instructed the florist to have the delivery boy call him when it had been dropped off. Because he knew that shortly after Natsumi got it, he would be getting a phone call. And, true enough, the boy called him shortly after eleven. Once the call was over with, Akito sat back in his chair and looked at the phone expectantly, waiting for it to ring.

For a while, nothing happened and Akito began to feel something in his stomach sink with despair. Until he saw the little red light on the phone flicker, followed closely with the ring he had grown so accustomed to. He sat up quickly, almost too eagerly, but composed himself and took a deep breath before answering. "Uchiha Akito." He said as coolly as he could manage. An irritated scowl crossed his features and he glared at the phone. "Toshiro? I'm waiting for an important call. Don't call me again! I'll call you." He yelled, losing his cool and hanging up.

It rang right again and he pulled up the end hastily, dropping it and fumbling around with the phone. "Toshiro I said I'd-"

"What are you trying to pull Akito?" a crisp, but clearly feminine voice strained out.

"Well hello to you too, Natsumi." He said, recovering his demeanor. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"Don't 'What are you talking about' to me Akito. Why did you send me those flowers? Why did you even send me flowers at all?"

"You seemed a bit distraught yesterday, and so I wanted to cheer you up." He said. "Besides, you love those flowers."

"Yes, I know I love those flowers. As you know as well. What I fail to see is really why. What are you trying to manipulate into your favor?"

He frowned. "I am not manipulating anything." He said sharply, indicating that he was offended she had even thought that. "There's nothing wrong with doing a kind gesture. The fact that I have decided to woo you only has a small part in it."

"Oh? You're wooing me now? What makes you think I want to be wooed by you? You and I both know you can woo me. That isn't where things went wrong last time."

"I know. But I figured we should try and start over. And what better place to do that than the beginning?" he shrugged.

There was silence for a while, before he heard her sigh. Which was a very excellent sign. "Why are you doing this Akito? Why do you want to woo me? Why don't you even hate me? I left you and I did it in the worst possible way a person could."

He sighed then. "Because I never stopped loving you. It was my fault that you left, and even though it wasn't exactly the nicest way to do so, I don't think I really have it in me to hate you. Be bitter, sure, but not hate."

His answer was once again silence. "Akito…" she paused. "I always loved you…but I just can't do this again."

"I'm not saying we should just up and get married again." He said. "But…I want to do more with you than have rough sex in forbidden places. Despite how appealing that is, I think…we should at least try, you know?"

"I don't know…"

"Please Natsumi." He said, sounding desperate, pressing the phone closer to his ear. He swore he heard her take in a sharp breath and try not to cry. He could even see it, something he'd seen many times when they were married. Her fingertips pressed to her lips and her eyes glistening from unshed tears, trying to hold it all together.

"Alright." She finally said, making him breathe out in relief. "We can go out to dinner tonight if you're free. It's the only day I'm not on call this week. So if not, it'll have to be sometime next week."

"Tonight is perfect." He pulled out his day planner and began to write everything down. "Do you want me to pick you up, or would you rather meet me there?"

"No, I will meet you there. How does the Blue Lagoon sound? Seven o'clock?"

"Sounds great." He smiled slightly. "I'll see you there."

"See you." She sighed and then the line went dead.

He placed his phone back on the receiver, returning his work with a smile on his face. It didn't matter that Natsumi was reluctant to the idea of him wooing her, the fact that she had agreed to even go to dinner with him meant that he would succeed in the end. At least, he hoped. Being married to someone for nine years gave you a certain advantage in knowing how to work a person, but he wasn't the only one with that advantage, and Natsumi was no idiot. That was one of the things that had attracted him to her in the first place.

Remembering that Toshiro had called him earlier, he sighed and picked up the phone, knowing that the redhead was going to give him an earful for hanging up on him.

Later that night, Akito arrived at the Blue Lagoon fifteen minutes early and got them a nice secluded table in the back and instructing the host that his companion, a babe with short pink hair, would be there shortly. So, as he waited for Natsumi to arrive, he ordered a bottle of the same wine they had drank on their first date, and an appetizer of calamari.

It wasn't too much later when the host returned with Natsumi following close behind. She had on a white cocktail dress that cut low and tied around her neck. It was tight around her chest and her waist and flowed freeing down to her knees. Akito had to keep the smirk from showing on his face, since he knew she had actually dressed up to meet him.

"Here you are Miss, please enjoy." He nodded, giving her a once over before leaving the two. She sat down and pulled her large purse off her shoulder and set it on the back of the chair.

"So." She nodded, lacing her fingers together and resting her hands on the table. "How was your day?"

"Pretty productive. I'm working on a huge case, but it's wrapping up really nicely." He told her, pouring them both a glass of wine and handing her one. "What about you? Was the hospital busy today?"

She shrugged and took the glass, sipping the delicious liquid. "Not too bad," She lifted the glass and examined it before glancing over at the bottle. "You are one pretty sly dog." She actually smiled. "It amazes me that you actually remember these things."

He returned her smile. "There are a lot of things I remember about the time we spent together."

"Like what?" she pressed, picking up some of the calamari and tossing it in her mouth.

"Like the garden you started at my apartment that I killed, and how upset you were." he smirked, taking a sip. "Or the time we were decorating the twins' bedroom when you were pregnant with them, and I flung paint across the room at you and we had that fight, and then had to redo an entire wall because it had splatters everywhere when we were done."

She set her glass down, staring at the table cloth with a small smile. "Yeah I remember that." With a fortifying breath, she dug around in her purse. "I, um, brought you something. That I thought you might like." She said softly, as she pulled out some things. She took two and placed them in front of him on the table. He glanced down and his eyes widened with surprise. There were two pictures sitting on the table, one was of Kanamé and the other was Izayoi. "I thought you might want a picture of them now." She placed another one down of Sanosuke and they all looked so happy.

"They grew so much." He said softly, picking up the pictures individually and looking at them, longing and sadness portrayed on his face from everything he missed. "How tall are they now?" he asked, looking back up at her."

"Kanamé is getting so big. I think he's taller than when you were that age." She laughed, becoming more animated when she talked about their children. "He has some problems at school, but just some attitude issues."

He continued to examine the pictures, seeing how all of his kids had changed. "So they're all keeping their grades up?" he asked, looking back at her.

She nodded. "Kanamé is a genius. And Izayoi is so creative. She loves to draw and write. Sanosuke usually keeps to himself." She told him, glancing down to the picture in her hands. It was of her and Hayate. They were both smiling and he looked absolutely perfect in his bliss. "Um…Akito. There's something I have to tell you. Back when I left-"

The waiter arrived then, interrupting her. "Have the two of you decided what you would like to eat for dinner?" he asked, looking to Natsumi first.

She looked a bit flustered and then examined the menu. "Uh yes. I'll have a filet, medium rare, and a side salad as well as a loaded baked potato."

"And you sir?" he turned to Akito.

"I want the steak, medium well, with a side of asparagus and mashed potatoes, hold the garlic." He said.

The waiter took their menus and nodded. "I'll have those right out to you." Then he left.

Akito looked back at Natsumi. "So, what made you say yes to coming to dinner with me?" he asked, his mind distracted by the waiter, so he didn't know she had been about to say anything more. She glanced back to him and shrugged.

"I don't know. Some insane force that clearly likes to watch me suffer I suppose."

The corner of his mouth tilted a bit. "Aw, come on, I'm not that bad."

She shook her head and took the glass once more, finishing it off. "Yes well, you would know, you were married to yourself for about six years."

"Do you always have to bring up old wounds and try to ruin the mood when we're together?" he asked, pouring her another glass.

"I can't pretend like it never happened. It did and it was the most heartbreaking moment of my life." She told him, glancing down once more. "Though…speaking of old…and about the past. I need to be honest with you, about what happened when we parted."

"It's not necessary. I know it was my fault, and you had every right to leave me." He said, waving off her explanation.

She grew a bit angry, trying not to crumple the picture in her hands. She knew he wasn't doing it not to hear her, but none the less it absolutely infuriated her when he interrupted her. "Akito that's not what I need to tell you."

"Your salad ma'am." The waiter said, seeming to come from nowhere. Natsumi sighed, giving up. Maybe this was a sign from the heavens warning her not to tell him about Hayate. After all, she knew his good mood would turn into absolute hatred. Taking the children was one thing, but not telling him about one for five years. She didn't even want to imagine the repercussions.

She placed the picture back in her bag and decided not to go further on the subject of her fourth child. "Anyways." She sighed, picking up her fork. "I've had to take Izayoi to a counselor, because she keeps writing the same line of stories for her classes. Or her drawings and it was very depressing. They wanted to medicate her for depression but I told them I wouldn't allow it."

"What?" Akito asked, worried. "Why? What has she been writing?"

"Well she kept writing this story about a princess who goes away from her kingdom and can't find her way back. And spends her nights crying on her balcony, because the prince won't come and rescue her." She sighed, looking downcast. "And when she went into counseling they tried to find the meaning of it, because it was nearly the same in everything. The doctors thought it was her crying out for you to come save her. But when they asked who the princess was…" her whole body tensed. "She told them it was me."

Akito looked down at the table. "I guess what she didn't know was that the prince tried." He said softly. "But the princess didn't want to be found, and eventually he gave up, because he figured she was happier without him."

"I didn't want to be found." She sighed, reiterating. "But that didn't mean I was happier. I was just less miserable."

"Well you always seemed so unhappy when I was around, I figured for once I should just give you what you wanted." He said, looking up at her. "How are they handling being back home?"

She shrugged once more, finishing up her salad. "Fine. Sanosuke doesn't really remember it so it's like a new place to him. The twins are good and bad. Depending if Izayoi goes on one of her rants or Kanamé gets in a fight at school. The other boys think he's being a show off cause he never talks to anyone really."

"Izayoi goes on rants?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah." She nodded. "She is my daughter after all. But man is she annoying."

He chuckled at that. "What does she rant about?"

"Everything."

"Well, I can't say that I envy you that."

Natsumi looked up and smiled slightly. "Yeah, but I love her. She's my little girl. The only one I got."

"Yeah." The corner of his mouth tilted up. "What about Sanosuke? How is he handling the third grade?"

"He's doing pretty well. Very smart. His teacher loves him and he's got a lot of friends and they like to play soccer after school." She told him as their food arrived and was placed in front of them.

"That's good." He said, beginning to cut into his steak. "So…is being a doctor everything you hoped it'd be?"

"Everything and more." She smiled, doing the same as they ate. "I love helping people, I make a lot of money and I can support the kids while being there for them whenever they need."

"I'm glad you finally got to reach your dream."

"Me too." She said happily. "So, how have you been? Slept with anyone? Married or dating?"

He snorted slightly. "Oh, the only woman I could ever stand living the rest of my life with is you, so no, I'm not married, nor am I dating. Over the years I've had a few flings, obviously, I mean, I have to get rid of my stress somehow, and exercising only gets you so far." He said. "But what about you? Are you in a relationship or anything?" he asked, tensing slightly as he tried to prepare himself for the answer.

She met his gaze, she couldn't lie, the fear she saw in them made her heart flutter. "I've been proposed to three different times. But I've never remarried. And when they see I won't, they usually break up with me. Which I don't mind. I don't think I could ever be married again. But other than that just a couple boyfriends here and there. Not a lot but some were pretty serious. They usually don't like that I put the kids first and that seemed to turn a few people off seeing as I have f…three." She lied, controlling her facial features.

"Well, if they get mad at you for being a good mother then there's no reason for you to give those douche bags your time anyways." He said.

"I didn't, I love the kids. They mean everything to me." She smiled, just thinking about her little ones. "Though I can't stay out too late, the sitter has homework and I don't want her to stay up."

"I figured." He said. They finished up their dinner, talking mostly about their children, Akito forcing himself not to say anything on wanting to see them even though he wanted to, now more than ever. Akito paid the bill and they both got up, heading towards the door together and waiting outside for the valet to bring their cars.

"Well this was nice and…civilized." She glanced up at him and then looked away.

"I had fun." He said, reaching out and gently grasping her chin to turn her face towards him. He kissed her tenderly. "It was nice to see you again Natsumi." He said as he pulled away.

"It was nice to see you as well. I'm glad I came to dinner with you. I almost forgot how charming you could be." She leaned against him slightly and then moved away as her car drove up. "See ya lawyer boy." She waved, blowing him a kiss before, she got into her car and drove off.

He smirked, getting into his car and driving away, glad that everything had gone so well. Now all he had to do was find a way to see his children. Because now that he had heard about the troubles they were going through, he wanted to help them as much as he could.