Chapter 5: Awake

Kaiyo's body shook slightly as the sensation of feeling came back to her body. Memories flooded back as her body shook again. Akito had found her; just after she had hope again, it was taken away again.

Her fear was threatening to take over her again, just as it did countless time when she was younger. She took a deep breath and held it for a few moments before exhaling quietly. It worked; for the time being.

She gingerly opened her eyes to darkness. She moved her limbs to feel a blanket was over her body. She sat up suddenly as her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. She looked around the room; it seemed a little bigger than her own back at her foster home. She was lying in a moderate sized bed. The room itself was bare besides a door to the farthest wall.

'Where am I? I passed out then what happened?' Fear struck her again at the familiarity of the room. It reminded her of the one she was once stuck in by Akito long ago. Her frame started shaking uncontrollably as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

Light suddenly flood the room from a door in the floor. Yuki walked up from the hidden stairs. "Miss Kaiyo, how are you doing?"

"Yuki?" her voice shook as her eyes struggled to adapt to the brightness.

Yuki effortlessly reached out and turned on the light, filling the room with warm light. He looked to see the girl on the bed shaking. "Miss Kaiyo!" he shouted as he ran to the girl's side. "What's wrong? Are you cold?"

She shook her head, taking a deep breath. "Just bad memories…"

He sat down next to her on the bed. He reached his hand out to comfort her, but retracted it immediately. He didn't know what to do in a situation like this.

"I'll be alright," Kaiyo squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the dark memories back. Her body finally stopped shaking. She opened her eyes once again, "where are we?"

"It's our spare bedroom above the garage. I don't know why, but it's not connected to the main house."

"There are types of houses here that are set up like that." Kaiyo explained effortlessly, "it's to have someone live in the same household, but they still have their own space." Silence followed her explanation, so she filled it with another question. "What time is it?"

"It's late, after ten already." Yuki responded.

Kaiyo's face turned red, "shouldn't you be sleeping then Yuki? Am I keeping you awake? You really don't need to bother yourself with me; I'm not worth it…"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. Please don't say things like that; you are worth worrying over."

"But I passed out from being touched by Akito. I'm so afraid of him…he keeps saying that I belong to him. I don't even understand what he's talking about: 'breaking the curse.' It makes no sense…" Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Even after leaving home, I'd have sleepless nights; full of nightmares. I've only been a burden on everyone for as long as I can remember."

Yuki was shocked into silence. All of the information he was learning was news to him.

Kaiyo rubbed furiously at her eyes in attempt to stop the water works. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to burst out crying like that; or get all emotional. I don't know where that all came from. I'm usually not like this; just forget everything I just said."

"Miss Kaiyo…" he reached out his hand again, and this time it reached the back of her head. He started stroking her hair gently. "If you ever need to talk, I'm always here to listen."

She stopped rubbing at her eyes and looked at him. He was actually accepting her the way she was. The tears flowed harder as she leaned into his shoulder.

They sat that way for a half hour. Kaiyo continued to cry on Yuki's shoulder until she fell asleep.

"Is she finally back asleep?" Kyo asked, concern filled his voice. He had been shortly behind Yuki up the steps. He had been sitting against the nearby wall, listening in unnoticed.

"Yes."

Kyo walked over and helped Yuki lay Kaiyo back into bed. "I didn't know she was the reason…"

"It was news to me as well," Yuki confessed.

The two stood awkwardly at Kaiyo's bedside for a few minutes before either of them moved. Both walked to the stairs at the same moment, but Kyo passed them to sit against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Yuki questioned him.

"Keeping an eye out for that bastard." Kyo snapped. "It's easy to break into the garage and get in here."

Yuki followed his actions, sitting five feet away from the orange haired teen. "For once, you have a good idea."

"Shut up."

Time passed in silence as both teens sat against the wall.

"Do you know why she's so afraid of him?" Kyo asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," Yuki answered truthfully, "do you?"

"No, but Shigure and Hatori seemed concerned earlier after she collapsed. They must know something."

They were both quiet once more. Soon enough, the silence lulled both boys to sleep.