The twins lay stretched out on the bed together, staring at the ceiling.

"I tell you, Hikaru, I think she's hiding something." Kaoru rolled over and propped himself up on his elbows to look at Hikaru. "If you had seen her, you would have known too."

Hikaru shrugged. "So, what do you expect us to do? It's Janae's problem, and if she doesn't want us to intervene, then we won't. It's that simple."

"No, Hikaru. I'm sure that something is seriously wrong. Not a personal problem." His brow furrowed. "I think she might be in some kind of trouble. All I ask is that we keep a closer eye on her for the time being."

With a smile, Hikaru caressed his brother's face and smoothed the worry creasing his forehead. "Oh, Kaoru, how can I refuse you when you look at me like that? You torture me."

With a calculated stutter, Kaoru whispered, "H-Hikaru…you t-torture me too."

As they lay on the bed clutching each other passionately, Janae walked into the room.

"Hey, guys, can you NOT do that all over the bed I sleep on?" She threw a look across the room. "And you should be ashamed for letting them carry on like this, Karin."

Karin, shocked from her hypnotic reverie, slapped a hand up to her bleeding nose and mumbled, "Sorry, Janae." She turned away from the snapshot of lust and tried to continue studying.

The Hitachiins sat up as one and grinned. "Ohayo, Janae-tan!"

She sat at her desk and flipped open a textbook with a weary, "Don't call me that."

"So, Janae, we were wondering."

"Hmm." Janae paged through the book in front of her, then propped her elbows and began to read.

"How would you like for us…" Kaoru began.

"To escort you to…"

"Midterm Mayhem next week?" they finished together.

Without looking up, Janae groaned, "Notta chance in hell, Thing One and Thing Two."

Without warning, Karin threw herself across the room at the boys feet. "TAKE ME! TAKE ME INSTEAD!"

Unfazed, Hikaru joined Janae by the desk. "Come on, it's the first official dance of the semester. And we really wanna go."

"So, go by yourselves. One of you can be the girl." With a suddenly wicked grin, Janae chuckled, "May I suggest going as Romeo and Juliet? As I recall, they both die at the end."

Kaoru also sidled up next to Janae. "But we really wanna go with YOU. It won't be any fun if you're not there to play deadpan reaction to our…" he trailed off. "What did you call them yesterday?"

"Morally indefensible and utterly juvenile antics."

"Yeah, that!" He pinched her cheek. "So, please?"

"No. Leave me alone."

Hikaru tapped on her head. "Onegaaaaiiii, Janae-tan?"

They began to dance around her desk, not noticing her face grow darker and darker. "Onegai, onegai, onegai, onegai, onegai, oneg-"

"FINE!" she exploded. "I'LL GO IF YOU GET OUT RIGHT NOW AND LET ME STUDY IN PEACE!"

"Arigatou!" With perfectly coordinated grace, the boys fled from the room and slammed the door behind them. "Ja mata, Janae-tan!"

"Stop CALLING me that!" she shouted at the closed door. "God, men are SO not worth it."

Karin picked herself up off the ground, dragged herself to the bed, and flopped down. "They're just so…so…"

"Moronic."

"Beautiful."

"Karin, don't make me angry." Janae began to scribble furiously in her notebook. "You won't like me when I'm angry."

Karin laughed. "You can get angrier?"

-=+=-

It's been a long freaking day.

I'm sitting in Host Club with Jake, who won't SHUT UP long enough for me to hear myself THINK.

"…so I told my Prof that my brother was having an emergency operation, and the guy felt so bad he gave me a three-day extension, can you believe that? And then at lunch, I ate sixteen bowls of the Italian wedding soup, that stuff is GOOD. So, after lunch…" and blah blah blah BLAH on through ETERNITY. This guy could talk the ear off a camel.

"…and it was stuck to my shoe the whole time!" Jake laughs himself into a coma. "Isn't that great?!"

"Hey, Long John Dickweed? Yeah, shut up."

This makes him sulk. "Fine." He adjusts his eyepatch. "I don't get why you're so mean all the time."

I ignore him. I'm watching Austin across the room. He looks absolutely DELICIOUS with his ruffle shirt open at the chest…mmm…and those sexy black shorts…

Did I mention that today is Pirate Roleplay Day?

Yeah, Scott busted into the Theatre Department's costume storage area the other day and pulled us out some pirate-looking clothes (or as he calls it, "pirate swag") to wear for Host Club. Um, can we spell NERD?

The girls who are sitting with Austin are laughing at every word he says, and swooning up at him like total man-hungry ho-bags. Talk about pathetic, right? He's MY captain.

I'd walk his plank any day.

Oh Christ on a Bike. One of the girls actually just reached up and touched his arm. With her slimy hand. All over MY MAN.

"Unbelievable," I hiss to myself under my breath.

Jake leans forward to look for himself. "Yeah," he says, still under the delusion that I want him to speak to me. "Austin's like super popular with the ladies. Why do you think the girls don't like me like that?"

I shouldn't. I really, really shouldn't. But, what the hell, when has a bad idea ever stopped me?

"You really wanna know?" I shove his shoulder so he looks at me. "You REALLY wanna know why girls don't like you? Firstly, you're obsessed with your hair. And guys that are obsessed with their hair are NEVER attractive to chicks."

Unconsciously, Jake runs his hand through his messy, no-effort blond locks. "But…but my hair is my best feature. I work all morning to get it to look like this."

"You asked me, and I'm telling you the truth. You'll never get anywhere with hair like that. A girl doesn't want to be in a relationship with a guy who's already preoccupied with his hair. And she DEFINITELY doesn't want to date a guy who has better looking hair than HER."

I cast a critical eye over him. "Secondly, you need to do something about your clothes."

"My what? What's wrong with my clothes?" He frowns at me.

"I'll tell you EXACTLY what's wrong with them. Unless you're in a chart-topping punk rawk band OR you're an eccentric art major, NO guy can pull off bright purple skinny jeans and a faux-argyle polo shirt. Get yourself something a little more respectable, like Old Navy jeans and a couple of Threadless tees. Maybe some khaki shorts. And please, PLEASE ditch the canvas man-purse and those ratty Converses you had your "homeboy" draw all over during homeroom in tenth grade. You're in college now. It's time to get a life outside of this little fantasy world."

He opens his mouth to object, but I'm not letting him get a word in.

"And why do you always pretend not to know how to play the guitar? You're not "just learning". I've heard you play in the music room off the gym workout room, and you're GOOD. Stop lying and TELL people how good you REALLY are. Do you men even know how aggravating it is that you pretend to be someone you're really not? And then you act so confused when we break up with you because you're not the person we were attracted to in the first place. Just freakin' BE who you really ARE, and then maybe someone will fall for you BECAUSE of who you are."

Jake just sits and stares, open-mouthed. Which looks even stupider because of his pirate moustache and eyepatch.

"God, it's not rocket surgery, dumbass. And shut your mouth, you're attracting insects."

He gives me a funny look. "You're a strange girl, you know that? Really strange."

I shrug. "Sometimes, all you need is for someone to tell you the truth, Count Jake-ula."

"Apparently. So, you wanna do something after Host Club?" He gives me his version of a charming smile, which is rather ghastly if I say so myself.

"Woah there, big boy. Firstly, you've got a LOT of work to do before I'd even CONSIDER giving you a second glance. Secondly, I've got a previous engagement."

Jake's face falls. "Oh, well. Boyfriend?"

"Work study, you twit."

Jake smiles. "Good."

Good? What-freaking-EVER. Austin's the only guy for me. Speaking of…

I turn to ogle him some more. God, he's so cool. I just wanna go up to him and suck his face off. That'd show all of those skanks who are touching his perfect body. MINE.

Out of habit, I steal a glance at Hikaru and Kaoru. As usual, they are wrapped around each other in the throes of piratey passion, to the glee of their little fan club. Some girls are just pathetic, the way they obsess over guys.

Then I see one of my old Orientation team members trying to sneak out of the room, and doing a very bad job of it. Why would she…oh, yes. I think I know why.

I get up and casually walk to the door, winking at Austin as I pass his table (and gaining one smile. A smile for ME, not for any of the others. ME ME ME.) and laying a hand on the room's doorknob before she can reach it. "Going somewhere, Bridget?"

Caught out, she gives me a very, very fake smile. "Not at all, darls," she smarms in her fake Euro accent. "I was just hoping to leave the room without disturbing the peace."

I smile at her as sweetly as I can. "Hey, you wanna know what would keep MY peace undisturbed? If you coughed up the club admission fee you owe for this month."

She drops the charade and sneers at me. "It'll get to you soon, Janae (she pronounces it "Janny"). Don't push me about it."

"Good, because I'd hate to have to tell your boyfriend Chaz what I saw you and Brad Northley doing in the fitness room last Wednesday."

Her mouth drops open.

You know, it really pays to have a roommate who thrives on gossip.

"Fine," she hisses at me. "I'll have it tomorrow. Bitch."

"Thank you, twatsicle. Now, get out of my face before I'm forced to rip yours off and wear it like a mask. And my name is JANAE."

She leaves in a huff. But a hurried huff. Dude, I'm totally ON today.

"Kaoru, Hikaru, behave yourselves. I'm going to work study."

-=+=-

Kaoru nudged Hikaru in the ribs. "Now's our chance. Let's follow her and see what REALLY happens when she's working," he whispered.

"Aa, a little spy work on our part might be fun." Hikaru tugged at his ruffled pirate shirt with distaste. "I wish I had worn all black today."

Upon leaving the Host room (with apologies to the overeager young ladies who were distressed to see them go) they trailed Janae to the Facilities office, where they hid behind a conveniently-placed garbage can and watched her sign in and check the chore folder.

"Great," she groaned. "Trash and Mop duty. Geoff just loves me today."

"Who's Geoff?" Hikaru whispered.

"I dunno, someone she works with?" Kaoru answered. "Look, she's leaving, let's follow her."

They crossed campus back to Rayburn, following Janae to the janitor supply closet.

"See anything out of the ordinary, Kaoru?"

Kaoru frowned. "Not yet…"

For an hour they skittered behind her, watching carefully as she rebagged trash cans, and lugged them out to the Dumpster. The next half-an-hour she mopped first lobby. Then she checked the cans again.

At last, Hikaru was exhausted and irritable. "Are you satisfied yet, Kaoru? Nothing's happened for the last two hours. And I'm hungry."

"Well…" Kaoru was not quite convinced. "I guess there's nothing going on after all."

Janae wheeled to face their hiding spot. "Good," she shouted at the innocent-looking vending machine, "Now will you both leave me alone so I can concentrate on work?!"

Hikaru and Kaoru slunk, guilty-faced, from behind the machine. "Did you know the whole time?" asked Kaoru.

"Yeah, I'm clever like that. Now, go away and stop worrying for no reason."

With a smile of triumph, Hikaru grabbed Kaoru by the upper arm and pulled him away. "We're going to dinner, then. See you later, Janae."

Kaoru struggled for words. "B-but…Hika…she…uh…" He noticed then how grim-faced Hikaru really was. "Oh, okay then. We'll go to dinner. Bye, Janae." They walked out quickly and relatively quietly.

Janae blinked in surprise at their sudden surrender. "Um. Good riddance?"

As soon as they were out of the building, Hikaru released Kaoru's arm. "You're right, Kaoru. Something's very wrong." Hikaru stared at the door they had just exited from. "I can tell, too. We're going to have to get back in and REALLY follow her this time."

"Yeah, okay. And I think we might need a little help from someone higher up, if you know what I mean."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go."

-=+=-

Thank all that is holy, they've finally left. Those boys drive me totally 100% crazy.

GOD, standing here mopping SUCKS ASS. I swear I would slit my wrists right now if I could, but Geoff would probably make me keep working anyways.

"Hello, Janae." Speaking of Geoff, he's apparently standing right behind me.

I start to turn, but I feel an arm snake around my waist. OH MY GOD.

"What the hell? Geoff, let me go, you pedophile!" I bring my elbow back into his ribs sharply, and he grunts, but doesn't let me go. His arm tightens around me, and it begins to get tough to breath.

Oh my God, he's assaulting me. This is so surreal, it's like it's not even happening.

"I thought I told you the facilities meeting yesterday was mandatory," he growls in my ear. I can feel his hot, foul breath against my cheek. "Where the hell were you, you little slutbag?"

I can't panic. I can't panic right now. "I told you, I had class that day, I'm not allowed to skip. Now let me go."

He laughs, and it makes shivers go up my spine. His free hand slides up my body and grabs my hair. "Do you know," he rasps, "what I'm capable of? I can get you expelled from here. I can get you banned from every worthwhile college on the face of the Earth. And…" he jerks me around a little, "and I can sure as hell screw you into the ground and get away with it."

"Geoff, let me GO." I bring my foot sharply down on his instep, and at the same time swing my head back and smash against his nose with a sick CRACK sound.

He barks sharply with pain, but doesn't let go. "You little BITCH, you BITCH, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget, this is a lesson you'll NEVER forget."

He releases my waist, and I try to pull away but he yanks me back by my hair, and I scream from the pain.

"SHUT UP, you whore, you BITCH, I'm gonna SCREW you, and then maybe I'll KILL you, how would you like that? Shut your mouth, or else you're dead meat."

I try to squirm away from him, but my head aches where he's yanked me, and I'm scared to try and run.

"Did you forget that I can do whatever I want?" He laughs in a very chilling way. "Since I'm screwing Tashira Havenson right under her husband's nose, I can get away with anything. The school won't want to lose its top beneficiary, will they, Janae?" And he pulls me close to him by my hair.

Oh my God oh God oh God oh God, someone help me. Please, someone help me. He's grabbing me, he keeps touching me, he won't let GO, someone HELP ME.

Suddenly, a shadowed figure comes into my line of vision. "Let her go."

Make that two. "Let go of Janae. Right now."

Geoff stands up straight. He does not let me go. "Beat it, kids, unless you want me to get you expelled."

Through the haze of pain and fear, I can distinguish that the two guys standing there are Hikaru and Kaoru. Their faces are stony. "Guys, GET HIM!" I scream. "Get this worthless son of a bitch!"

-=+=-

Kaoru was the first to move. He came forward so swiftly he was a blur, and grabbed Geoff's hand in a powerful clench.

Surprised at the suddenness of the grab, Geoff released Janae's hair and she fell to the floor.

"Hey, listen up, asshole. We don't want-"

With the starling speed of a cat, Hikaru darted forward and planted a fist into Geoff's solar plexus.

"…you to ever mess with our Janae-"

As Geoff fell backwards, Kaoru drew back his leg and kicked him square in the left knee, which broke with a sickening POP sound.

"Ever again!" they completed together.

With a shriek of pain, Geoff flew across the room before hitting the wall with a thud and sinking to the floor. The drywall was cracked where he had made his impact.

All this Janae observed, with wide eyes, from her place on the floor

"Come on, Janae-tan. You can get up now." Kaoru offered her a hand.

Janae picked herself up unsteadily. Kaoru wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked her away from Geoff. Hikaru remained, keeping an apathetic eye upon their enemy.

Geoff glared at them with bloodshot eyes. "I'll…get you…" he gasped, "for this."

"No," said Hikaru with a grim smile. "I don't think you will."

Geoff coughed a little, grimacing at the pain it causes through his body. "What…do you…mean?"

A man stepped into Geoff's line of vision. "What he means, sir, is that Tashira Havenson is no longer a supporter of Catacombs College. As of today, I am Catacombs top beneficiary. My wife will be served with divorce papers, and she won't get a penny, thanks to all I've seen you do and say to that poor girl. So your threats are now made in vain. If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut."

Geoff's eyes got very wide. "M-Mr Havenson?"

The older man next to Hikaru nodded. "Thanks to these boys, I now have eyewitness accounts of your assault on that girl, as well as a confession by you of my wife's extramarital affair. I'd say you won't be making anyone clean toilets for a long time in prison, boy."

"No." Geoff's eyes grew dark with fury. "NO. This isn't happening. I won't let this be my fate." He struggled to get up, but shifting his knee made him mewl with pain, and he fell back to the ground, all the fight gone from his body. "I swear, you'll all pay for this," he snarls.

Hikaru smirked at the man laying against the wall, then turned around. "He's all yours, gentlemen," he called down the hall to campus security.

As the two Rent-a-Cops stepped past Hikaru and Mr Havenson to reach Geoff, Hikaru patted the old man on the shoulder. "Thank you, Havenson-sama, for your cooperation."

"I'm glad you boys knew where to find me." Mr Havenson took Hikaru's hand and shook it. "Thanks to you, this man is going to prison. That girl owes you her life."

"No." Hikaru turned to catch up with Kaoru and Janae. "That girl doesn't owe us a thing."

-=+=-

Kaoru is walking me back to the Music room. His arm is on my shoulder, which is nice, I guess. If only my scalp didn't ACHE so much, I could THINK about what just happened.

"So, um, what happens to Geoff now?" I ask him, trying to break the silence.

Kaoru doesn't look at me. "With any luck, he gets raped in prison."

Oh, well that's just lovely. Thanks for those words of encouragement.

I keep looking at Kaoru. "Hey. Um, thanks."

His hand squeezes my arm protectively, but he also blushes a little. "That's okay, Janae-tan. I'm glad he didn't do anything terrible to you."

"I'm just glad you guys were there. Even after I was a jerk and told you to leave." I brush my hair from my eyes. I guess I've been crying or something, because my cheeks are wet. "So yeah. Thanks."

Now he DOES look at me. "Naa, Janae-tan?"

"Mmm?"

"Please stop talking."

I laugh. "Okay, I'll take a hint."

He walks me back to the Music Room, where I sit and wait as he makes me a cup of tea. In a minute, Hikaru will show up and then maybe they'll tell me all about what just happened.

I guess the Hitachiins DO have a use, after all. I mean, I'm kinda GLAD they were looking out for me.

So, anyways, I have no idea what work study's gonna be like now. Apparently Geoff's going to prison? I sure hope Hikaru can explain it to me.

This is Janae, signing off for now.

(oh, hey, before you get any ideas: just because they saved me, it doesn't mean I LIKE them or anything. Just letting you know.)

(I think)

-=+=-

A/N: Well! It's certainly been a busy week! I'd like to apologize for such a long wait for this update, and for the general roughness of this chapter ( I wrote it in 45 minutes) AND for the length (9 word doc pages!) but THANKS for sticking it out, PLEASE feel free to critique, thanks to have-a-cookie and ILuvH&K for explaining the review response thing to me :D And thanks for reading! I honestly love you all, more than you could ever know. Kisses!