Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Princess Nine. The original characters are my creation, and are not based on any real persons.

Determination

Kido punched the last two digits into the pay phone and waited. He had made his way back to the hospital after leaving the hotel. When the call went through, he said. "Ms. Himuro, please. This is Coach Kido." He was put on hold as she was informed of his call.

"What is it Kido?" She said, irritation in her voice. "I'm rather busy right now. The police are still here, and the press is camped outside looking for dirt."

"What's going on Keiko?" He said surprised. "Is this about last night?"

"You mean you haven't heard? It's been on all the morning news shows. The same group that attacked the girls last night assaulted a policeman on the grounds of the school. It's been a madhouse here."

"Whoa! That's going to give the school a black eye. Just what we need, more negative media attention."

"Rest assured, this will not escape the attention of the Parent's Association. I'll be in meetings all day; do you mind staying with Miss Azuma? I was hoping to visit her this afternoon, but I won't be able to get away."

"Yeah… about Azuma," He said pausing. "I've got some bad news."

"She hasn't gotten worse has she?" Ms. Himuro said, panic touching her voice.

"No, as far as I know, she's still the same." He said reassuringly. "The problem is her parents. They had an argument with her this morning and kicked her out of their house. They're going back home as we speak."

"You have got to be kidding." She said becoming angry. "I knew that man was shallow, but to do this to his daughter when she's gravely injured? Is he completely heartless? How is Miss Azuma taking this?"

"Not very well I'm afraid." He said gloomily. "They needed to sedate her because she was so upset."

"So you haven't talked with her? Kido, please stay with her. She's going to need to see a friendly face when she wakes up. Classes have been cancelled for the day, so I'm sure the rest of the team will show up eventually. Oh, one more thing. Amy Watson was injured in that fight last night. She currently can't stand on her right leg."

"Wonderful." He said with a groan. "This season isn't looking too promising is it?"

"She'll get better. She was walking on it last night, so I don't think it's that bad. She'll be there at the hospital sometime this morning to see a doctor, so you might want to watch for her."

"I'll wait in Azuma's room. I'm sure she'll show up there. I'll talk to you later Keiko, I know you need to get back."

"Thank you Kido. I wish I had some good news, but that has been in short supply this morning. Give Miss Azuma my best."

The line went dead, so Kido hung up the phone with a sigh. "I could really use a beer." He said stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking towards the elevator, preparing for his vigil at Yuki's bedside.

-

"I refuse to be chased out of my home." Izumi said plopping down in a chair in the central room. "I told Yuki to be brave through all this, how can I do less?"

"But Izumi, what if they come back?" Ryo said, pleading. "Corey's right, it's not safe for you to stay here."

"I'm sure my father won't mind you staying with us Izumi." Kanako said sitting down in the next chair. "Please, we don't want anything to happen to you."

"Look, they got in here because the gate was open, and the alarm was turned off." Izumi argued. "Normally this place is a fortress. I'll be fine."

"What about going to school?" Koharu asked. "You have to leave here to do that. Kanako rides with her father every morning. It would be safer than walking."

"At least discuss it with your mother Izumi." Hiroki said somberly. "Security systems aren't foolproof. If you don't want to stay with Kanako, come stay at my place. You can have the whole guest wing to yourself, and I can walk you to school and back."

"I'm not a little girl!" She said angrily. "I've walked by myself for nearly four years. If those guys show up, I'll run. Granted I can't match Seira's speed, but I'm still pretty fast."

"Izumi?" Mao ventured uneasily. "If you don't want to stay with someone else, would you mind if I stayed here? I mean I'm the only one here who has had any sort of martial arts training. I could be your bodyguard."

"Thank you Mao." She answered warmly, "You're sweet to offer, but I don't want to put any of you in harms way." Sighing, she continued. "I'll call my mother and see what she wants to do. If I disappear, they could target her instead. They could threaten to hurt her to force me out of hiding, and I don't want that. I'd rather be beaten to a pulp than let my mother get hurt."

"Do you really think they would go after you're mom?" Hikaru said nervously hugging herself. "If that's true, they could use any of us to get to you. We were all in the papers last year, so our pictures wouldn't be hard to find."

"What!" Yoko cried fearfully. "They wouldn't come after us, would they? Ohhh, my precious face! I don't want it rearranged!"

"If they get hold of you Yoko, I don't think it would be your face that would get bruised." Koharu said angrily. "They're scumbags. I'm not giving up my virginity without a fight, I'll tell you that."

"This is terrible." Ryo said sitting down heavily on the settee. "We're all vulnerable walking to school. How long will we need to look over our shoulder?"

"You'll be alright Tofu." Hiroki said sitting next to her. "I'll protect you."

"No offense Hiroki, but I don't think you could." She said leaning against him. "If that big guy is there, you'd just get beaten up. I wouldn't want that. Amy's survived being raped. I rather go through that then see you like that Kosuke guy, unconscious and dumped somewhere. If I didn't fight, maybe they wouldn't hurt me too bad."

"Amy was raped?" Kanako exclaimed. "When did that come out?"

"We found out this morning before you got here." Ryo answered.

"She thought we would be ashamed of her." Izumi added. "That's why she couldn't tell us at the party."

"I think we should keep this to ourselves." Hikaru said looking around at everyone. "If those snotty rich bitches hear about this, they'll use it as an excuse to hassle Amy."

"That's right." Kanako said, her eyes widening. "It's not a written rule, but it's understood a girl attending Kisuragi is a virgin. It could cause Amy trouble if they found out that she isn't."

"That's not fair!" Mao said indignantly. "It's not like she asked to be raped."

The doorbell rang, startling everyone. "Let's not get too excited about this." Izumi said standing. "If we keep quiet, nothing will happen." Walking to the door, she opened it. "Detective Kimura. Welcome back."

"Hello again Miss Himuro. May I come in?" He said, his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Certainly. Please, come in." She replied stepping back from the door.

Walking into the central room, and seeing the somber expressions, he tried to reassure them. "Hey, why the long faces? These clowns are nothing to get upset about. We have their hangouts under surveillance, so it's only a matter of time before we catch them. Working Kosuke over like that will assure them of at least six months in prison. They'll be out of your lives before you know it. Miss Himuro, your testimony will finally put them where they belong."

"Are you aware of the note he left me this morning detective?" She said sitting down in her chair again. "How legitimate is his threat?"

"We're familiar with this bunch. They've been arrested for fighting before, but they usually just stand around trying to pick up girls. Most of the other gangs can't stand this guy. He's a punk who tries to charm other people into doing what he wants. I don't understand why Akira Motokai even hangs with him. Toru must have something on him."

"Toru?" Koharu interrupted. "Is that the bastard's name?"

"Yes, Toru Akimatsu. Kosuke said his name when he was talking to Principal Mita." He said to the room. Then looking at Izumi, he added. "Miss Himuro, we believe he's bluffing, but to be safe, we would like to place you in protective custody, hiding you until they go to trial."

"I'm not leaving my home Detective." She said frowning. "If you want to place an officer here as a deterrent, feel free. He can escort me to school if he likes. I would feel safer, and my friends wouldn't need to become involved."

"Would Officer Watanabe be acceptable? He's a familiar face. We'll have another officer drive the two of you to school where he will accompany you at all times. He would immediately alert us to any hostile activity."

"That's going to cause a stir Izumi." Hikaru said grinning. "Having a young man escort you everywhere you go will cause a lot of gossip."

"He will be as unobtrusive as possible." Kimura reassured her. "He will wait outside the classroom while class is in session. Actually, he's a good choice for this. He was near the top of his class in hand to hand, and he made almost perfect scores in firearm. I'll have to clear it with his section chief, but I don't foresee any difficulties."

"He's a fine choice Detective. I thought he handled the situation with Yuki wonderfully." She said nodding. Then, her eyes narrowing, she asked. "He wouldn't need to share a room with me at night, would he?"

"Good god no!" The detective said scandalized. "He'll be with you in the daytime hours only. For overnight, we'd assign a female officer. There are many capable women on the force."

"That sound acceptable Detective. Will you inform my mother of what has happened? She'll need to make the final decision on this."

-

Kenji pulled into the driveway of the hospital staff's parking garage. Flashing his ID to the attendant, he drove in when the gate rose. "Let's hope there's a spot near the elevator."

"I didn't know you were on staff here Grandpa." Corey said, looking awed. "University of Tokyo Medical Center, pretty impressive. When did this happen?"

"I've been on staff here for nearly ten years." Kenji answered turning down the ramp for the next level. "I help out with rape and child abuse trauma and grief counseling. It's been a while since they've called for me. We're fortunate; my parking pass expires next week. I'll have to take care of that before we leave."

"How far down does this go Kenji?" Seira asked looking uneasy. "I don't like it here."

"What's the matter Seira?" Amy asked laying a hand on her friend's arm. "Are you claustrophobic?"

"I don't have any trouble riding in elevators, so no I don't think so." She replied with a weak smile. "I just never liked going underground. I don't ride the subways either. I'll take three trains to get someplace the subway goes to directly."

"There's a spot." Kenji said turning the wheel and pulling in. "Sorry it's not closer Amy, but this time of day we're lucky to find one at all."

"This is fine Grandpa." She said with a smile. "I'm not an invalid. I can make it."

"Why don't I piggyback you to the elevator sis?" Corey suggested. "Seira can help you from there.

"Why don't you want to carry her all the way?" Seira asked.

"Think about it Seira." Amy said smiling. "Corey barely fits under doorways as it is. How could he carry me through with my head twenty centimeters above his?"

"Once we get upstairs, I'll get you a wheelchair." Kenji said looking back at her. "That way you can get around without leaning on somebody."

They got out and began making their way to the elevator

"Thank you for coming to get me Grandpa." Amy said from Corey's back as they walked. "I hope we don't keep you too long. I know you had appointments this morning. You can leave if you want, we can catch the train back home later. Even if I'm on crutches, I should be able to make it."

"Don't concern yourself dear." Kenji said looking up at her. "I've cleared my schedule. I'm having my most serious cases referred to a colleague, so you have me for the day. Besides, I'd like to talk with the girl who got hurt. I'm sure she's feeling very depressed right now."

"You'll like Yuki." Seira said grinning. "She so sweet and mild mannered, you can't help it."

"We were discussing her last night." Amy added. "She tried to kill herself before, so we were concerned she might try again."

"Really?" Corey asked surprised. "She seemed so happy last night at the party."

"She had problems with some of her old classmates." Seira volunteered. "She was really withdrawn when she came here. That's why it sucks that this happened to her. She finally feels accepted, and she'll have to leave school."

"She's on a scholarship?" Kenji asked. When Seira nodded, he continued. "The School Board may take into account the circumstances. It would reflect poorly on the school if they casually dismissed her like that."

"I don't know Kenji." Seira said looking thoughtful. "The scholarship agreement spelled it out pretty clearly that if we couldn't play, we couldn't stay at Kisuragi."

"Hey!" Amy interrupted. "You guys were just telling me to think positive, what gives with the negative attitude. Remember, she had feeling when the policeman poked her foot, so she could recover from this. I pray she does, because I want to see her play."

"It never hurts to pray Amy." Kenji said with a slight smile. "Miracles do still happen."

They reached the elevator. Kenji pressed the call button as Corey set Amy back on the ground. Seira stepped up, and Amy draped her right arm over the redhead's shoulders. Thirty seconds later, the doors opened and they got in.

-

The senior staff had gathered to discuss the morning's events. Mr. Mita looked up as the Chairperson entered the room. "Are you alright Ms. Himuro? You look distraught. I take it that phone call wasn't good news."

"I'll be fine." She said sitting down heavily in her chair. "Coach Kido called to tell me Miss Azuma's parents have evicted her from their home."

"What!" The collective voice of the faculty cried out.

"That's unpardonable." Yuki's math teacher, the head of the math department, said angrily. "A sweet girl like her would never do anything to warrant such an action."

"Did the coach say why this happened?" Mita asked frowning.

"He said they had an argument with her about something and left. The poor girl needed to be sedated."

"She's their only child, isn't she?" The PE director asked. "Why would they do this?"

"Image is everything to these people." Ms. Himuro said wearily. "That's the reason they were so eager to send Yuki here in the first place. Her depression was an embarrassment to them. His biggest concern when I talked with him last night was that his friends would see her in a wheelchair. I never thought they would go to this extreme. Yuki's doctor believes she will recover from this, but she still needs emotional support and encouragement."

"Even if she gets the use of her legs back, she'll be facing physical therapy sessions and may need to spend time in a wheelchair until her broken back is somewhat healed." The school nurse added. "She has a long road ahead of her. I can't believe they would abandon her like that."

Ms. Himuro sighed and then said, "Yuki told us that they basically turned a blind eye to her being bullied. Even last night, they thought it was all in her head. In anger I told them I would look after her, I guess they're holding me to my word. She'll be in the hospital for the week at least, but I'll need to make a place for her."

"Ms. Himuro, if you'd like, I can come over and help prepare a room for Yuki." The nurse offered. "Depending on how much function she recovers, you may need to rent some medical equipment."

"Thank you for your offer, but I believe Mr. Yamagida can perform that task adequately. My troubles are not why we're here people. I want your input on how we can prevent something like this morning's incident from reoccurring."

The director of security cleared his throat. Standing, he made a deep bow saying. "This is entirely my fault Ms. Himuro. I never should have let that man stay here. It was my error in judgment that allowed this tragedy to occur. I believed because he was injured, and was not making any threatening gestures, he would not cause any problems. If you like, I will resign my position, allowing you to pick a man more capable of protecting the students entrusted to this school." He stayed bowed, waiting for her reply.

"Mr. Okizayu," She replied. "As I see it, that was only your first error in judgment. The other was letting them park that truck across the driveway. Your team should have investigated before the policeman walked out of the school. I will not take you resignation, yet. You are a sincere and straightforward man. Learn from this, and perform better in the future.

"Yes Ms. Himuro." He said still humbling himself. "I apologize for that as well. I was not informed of the truck until the policeman was already pulling away from the building. My team was distracted by the events going on inside, and failed to notice it until it was too late. The whole incident took less than a minute. We responded as quickly as we could, but the perpetrators had already fled with the man. We immediately contacted the police, and administered first aid to the wounded officer. We regret our lack of foresight in this matter, and vow to be more diligent in the future."

"It's not entirely your fault Mr. Okizayu." She said massaging her temples. "We've lived in this ivory tower too long, believing social status made us immune to the world's troubles. My daughter informed me this morning last night was not the first time she was assaulted in this fashion. Young people today are more ruthless, more willing to hurt others to get what they want. Society as a whole is regressing. Television and movies encourage youth to disrespect their parents. Popular music promotes base emotions at the cost of true affection. When was the last time you heard a pop song about falling in love? Sex is what sells these days, and an attractive young woman walking down the street in a short skirt looks very tempting to someone who's bought into it. I've decided to implement a 'buddy system' if you will. By the end of the week, every student will be paired with a commuting partner. They will walk to and from school together, making themselves less likely to be targeted for attack. Mr. Okizayu, please submit the names of some likely candidates to instruct the girls in basic self-defense. I want an honest, dependable individual for this position. Never again will one of our students be victimized because she was defenseless."

"Yes Ms. Himuro. I'll have a list compiled and on your desk by the end of the day. Thank you for you patience with my ineptitude." He said bowing again and reclaiming his seat."

"You are not inept, Mr. Okizayu. You were just caught by surprise." She replied with a slight smile. "Now, what do we need to change to help prevent this from happening again?"

-

The Captain walked in to his friend's hardware store. His face was somber as he approached the counter. "Morning Matsu, have you heard?"

"Captain, Good Morning." Matsu replied. "Yeah, it was on the news this morning. Ryo's school was shut down because of it. Can you believe the audacity of some people?"

"Huh? Why did they close her school? The three girls were assaulted on the street last night, how does that affect the school?" He replied confused.

"What!" Matsu exclaimed. "Some girls from the school were attacked? I was talking about the policeman being battered at the gate of the school this morning."

"A policeman was attacked? How badly was he hurt?" The Captain said, his face darkening.

"He'll be ok." Matsu said leaning forward. "Now which girls were attacked?"

"Three of the girls from the baseball team were going home from a party when they were attacked by a group of punks. Yuki Azuma, the girl that plays left field is in the hospital with a broken back. I'm not sure who the third girl was, but that American girl…the one that pitched the other night… what was her name? Amy! Amy Watson, that's it! She was there and tried fighting them off. Ryo said the Azuma girl was the only one hurt."

"That's awful. How's Ryo taking it?

"She was depressed. Can you blame her? She was spending a lot of time together with Miss Azuma after Koshien last year. Ryo said the girl really needed a friend and she wanted to be there for her."

"That's our Ryo." Matsu said proudly. "She's always ready to help out someone who's in trouble. She would take that girl's place if she could."

"You're right Matsu." He said with resolve. "Ryo would never want anyone to be hurt, even if it's to her benefit. Listen, I have something I need to do. I'll talk to you later." Turning, he walked out the door, a determined look on his face.

-

Kido sat slouched in the chair next to Yuki's bed, watching her sleep. She was having a dream, and by the expressions reflected in her face, the coach could tell it wasn't a pleasant one. Wanting to comfort her, but unable to, he rubbed a single tear from his eye. Closing his eyes, he said softly. "Be strong Yuki, we'll help you through this. Your teammates will be here soon; they'll know what to do. How could your parents think a sweet girl like you could ever be an embarrassment? If you were my daughter, I'd be bragging about you to everyone I know."

"Does she know that?" A voice said behind him. Turning around, he saw the charge nurse standing a few steps away. "You should tell her when she wakes up."

"No, she doesn't want to hear that from an old drunk like me." Kido said with a sad smile. "What she needs is for her parents to come back and sort this out. I wish I could have gotten through to him. Damn, that man is arrogant! I thought Morimura couldn't take criticism, but this guy puts her to shame."

"Well, she's fortunate to have people who care for her. I've had patients that never received a single visitor." Stepping forward, she handed him a cup of coffee saying. "Here, I thought you could use this. You've been sitting here for over an hour."

"Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you." He said taking the cup. Looking back at Yuki, he asked. "I'm curious. You seem to enjoy your job, but do some of the things you see depress you?"

"Oh yes, sometimes this job can get you down" She said moving to the bed and adjusting Yuki's blanket. "Yuki asked me if I didn't like making new friends. I do, but in a hospital, especially in the ICU, a life can slip away so quickly. Someone you were chatting with the day before may not make it through the next. I've been emotionally wounded too many times. I'm friendly, and I everything I do, I do with compassion, but I don't like getting too close anymore. I was surprised when I cried this morning. I guess Yuki got to me after all. She's such a gentle soul, isn't she?"

"You got that right. She's a timid little mouse meeting new people, but get her on the baseball field, and she's a tiger." He took a sip of coffee, and then added. "I know this is asking a lot, but when she's by herself, would you try to spend some time with her? She has a thing about being alone. It doesn't need to be all day, just pop in a couple times an hour to see how she's doing. I think she'd appreciate it."

"I think I could handle that." She looked warmly at him and said. "I still think you should tell her how you feel. It would help her feel a little better about herself. Excuse me, but I need to prepare the room next door for a new admittance. He's in surgery right now, but will be coming up here by this afternoon."

Standing, Kido asked intrigued. "What happened to him?"

"He was severely beaten and bleeding internally. They may need to remove his spleen. Um, I was wondering. You seem like a really nice guy, and I don't see a ring, would you like to get some lunch later? I get off at twelve." She said nervously.

"Thank you, but no." He said with a gentle smile. "I'm already seeing someone, and I don't want to mess it up. A lovely woman like you shouldn't have any trouble finding someone better than me. Thank you again for the coffee."

"You're welcome." She said a little dejected. "When she wakes up, would you tell Yuki I'll be back in a little bit? I need to give her a bath."

"Yes ma'am." Kido said nodding. "I'll let her know."

He watched as she walked out of the room. He turned back to see Yuki's blue eyes sparkle with amusement. "Well Azuma, decided to rejoin the living I see. How much of that did you hear?"

"Morning coach." She said grinning. "Getting to be a real lady's man aren't you? See what happens when you look presentable?"

"Hey, I have my moments." He said sitting back down by her. "How are you doing Yuki? I heard you had a fight with your folks."

"They kicked me out of the house." She said quietly. "All I did was stand up to them for a change and they kicked me out. Coach, what did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong Yuki." He said warmly. "A girl your age should have a say in how to live her life. I went to talk with your folks after I heard about it. Your father is an unreasonable man. I suggested sitting down and discussing it more with you, and he slammed the door in my face. Don't worry Yuki; I'm sure Ms. Himuro will figure something out. Now, how's the back? We start practice in six weeks."

-

Seira searched the magazine rack for an issue that was less than two years old. They'd been sitting in the emergency room waiting area for nearly forty-five minutes, and she was getting frustrated. "What's the deal? With what they charge for a visit, they could at least keep current magazines in here."

"Maybe they figure nobody will steal them if nobody wants them." Amy said looking away from the window. Her grandfather had gotten her a wheelchair as promised, so she spun herself around and wheeled herself back to where Corey and Seira were sitting.

"Now you know what I went through while you two were clothes shopping." Corey said, his head resting on the seatback. "I know what Seira. Pick one and come sit down. You can help me brush up on my kanji."

"How'd you read the one at Emma's?" Seira asked walking up and sitting next to him.

"It was in English." He said sitting up. "It was an old 'People' magazine, and was so beat up, I think it was used as packing in one of her shipments. She had a few on that rack, and was selling them for 50 each."

"Oh crap, that reminds me." Seira said looking at Amy. "I got so geeked about bringing Emma to your party last night, I left my leather jacket at her store. Oh well, I guess it's not going anywhere."

"You can call Emma if you're worried about it." Corey said putting his arm around her shoulder. "By the way Seira, I really like what you're wearing. Denim definitely suits you."

"Thanks, Corey." she replied smiling. "I was wondering if you were ever going to say anything."

"Yeah bro." Amy teased. "Did you just wake up? I thought you'd already told her that this morning."

"Are you two going to double team me every time I mess up?" He asked. "In case you didn't notice, it's been a busy morning. Seira walked in the room just as Mr. Mita called. It's safe to say my mind wasn't on what Seira was wearing."

"Hey you three, look who I ran into at the front desk" Kenji called out.

Turning, they saw Kimiko walking alongside her father. "Good Morning." She said with a small smile. Moving to Amy, she bent down and hugged her tightly. "Amy, I was so worried when I heard. How are you doing?"

"I'll be ok mom." She said hugging her back. "I'm sure I'll be walking after the doctor drains it."

"Corey told me you had that dream again last night. Did you end up telling them?"

"I pretty much had to." Amy replied sheepishly. "Screaming loud enough to wake the house tends to make people curious."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry it came out like that." She said laying her hand gently on the side of Amy's face.

"Not half as sorry as I was Mrs. Watson." Seira said with sympathy. "She scared me so bad with that scream, I fell out of bed."

"I'm sorry." Kimiko said as she sat down next to Seira. "We didn't really get to talk to each other much last night. Your name's Seira right?"

"Yes ma'am. Seira Morimura." She replied with a slight bow.

Smiling warmly, she continued. "I see you and Corey have made up. I hope he hasn't been too rough on you. He can be a little quick tempered, and he doesn't always think about what he says."

Hugging Corey's arm, Seira responded. "I don't think I'll have to worry. If anyone's been mistreated it was Corey by me. He's been so sweet and considerate; I'd be crazy not to fall for him. Thank you for raising such a wonderful young man."

"Corey." Kimiko said looking intently at him. "Just how serious is this relationship? I wasn't aware Seira was sleeping there as well. You didn't do anything last night, did you?"

"Of course not mom." Corey said sounding hurt. "Have a little more faith in me than that. I told you I wouldn't have sex until I got married, and I meant it! Why would I want to jeopardize my future and Seira's by doing something so stupid?"

"How about you Seira?" Kimiko asked redirecting her gaze. "How do you feel about this subject?"

Shrinking under the scrutiny, she cleared her throat, and said, "Amy told me that Corey has had opportunities for sex back in the States and he turned them down. I don't know another guy his age that would be able to resist if a good-looking girl approached him. I admire him for that. The truth be known, I'm not all that anxious to have sex either. I guess it's all part of my not feeling too good about myself. I'm in no hurry Mrs. Watson, I've gone sixteen years without it, I can wait a while longer. I have someone who I know cares for me and that's enough."

"Corey, she's a lovely girl, don't you dare hurt her." Kimiko said with a big smile. "Seira, since you already call my father by his given name, would you mind calling me Kimiko? I hate formality. It's one of the reasons I chose to live in the States."

"Of course." Seira said smiling. "Kenji said you were a lot like me, now I see he was right."

"Excuse me." A voice said from behind Kenji. Turning, they saw a nurse standing patiently. "Miss Watson, the doctor is ready for you. Please follow me."

"Yes ma'am." She said wheeling herself around her grandfather. "Mom? Would you come along? I'd like some company for this."

"I planned on it honey." Standing, she moved behind Amy, and took hold of the wheelchair's handles. Turning back she said. "Seira, I'd like to talk to you some more. Why don't you come over to our house for lunch when we're done?"

"Yes ma'am, I'd like that. Should we go see Yuki while you two are in there?" Seira replied standing.

"This shouldn't take long." Kimiko replied. "I've had this procedure done myself. We'll be back soon." Turning, they followed the nurse who was standing by a doorway. When they reached her, she opened the door and ushered them inside.

Sitting back down by Corey, she said. "Wow, your mom is really nice. I wish my mom had been more like her."

"I wish she would trust me more.' Corey grumbled. "I haven't stepped out of line in six years."

"Temptation can be a strong motivator Corey." Kenji said claiming the chair across from them. "Like I told Seira on the phone. A young man feels those urges the most in his teens. A teenager's reasoning abilities aren't that of an adult either. The human brain isn't fully developed until the age of twenty-five. That's where the 'foolhardiness of youth' comes from. Teenagers will take chances that to an adult would seem foolish, because their brains can't fully process the consequences."

"I know, we discussed that in psychology class." Corey said looking down. "Still, I've been a model student and kept my nose clean because I respect them so much. It hurt that she thought so little of my judgment."

Hugging his arm tightly, Seira said. "Then we'll just have to prove to them that we can make good choices, to your parents and mine. My dad doesn't really trust me either. As much time as I spent running the streets, I guess I don't really blame him. Corey, before you go home, would you like to meet my dad? I'd really like him to meet you."

"Sure, I'd like to meet him." He said grinning. "I bet we hit it off. When would be a good time?"

"I'll call him at work and see if he can't come home early tonight." She replied. "Say Corey? Your mom said she's had this procedure done. What happened to her?"

Chuckling, he said. "It was her introduction to farm life. Normally, dairy farms today use machines to milk the cows, but one of Grandpa's cows had an infected udder, and needed to be milked by hand. Mom volunteered to do it, and while dad was showing her how, the cow kicked her. She had a lump the size of a grapefruit on her thigh."

"Ow." Seira said cringing. "Remind me not to try milking any cows. So how does the doctor drain it anyway?"

"If the injury's bad enough, they'll insert a tube under the skin and leave it there for a while. In Amy's case, they'll just use a big needle and draw the fluid out. It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."

"She'll probably be on crutches for a while, to prevent re-injuring the area. They'll wrap the area too, to keep it warm and support it." Kenji said rubbing his shoulder. "This morning is stressing me out, I have a huge knot in my shoulders."

"Let me get that Kenji." Seira said standing and moving behind him. She began working his shoulders, and Kenji let out a contented sigh.

"You're good at that Seira. Have you ever thought of making it a career?" Corey said observing Kenji's smile. "Massage therapy can be pretty lucrative."

"You want me to go work in a massage parlor?" Seira said darkly.

"That's not what I meant." He said chuckling. "If you get the right training, you could go work for a resort. A lot of the big hotels have a masseuse on staff, and corporations will sometimes hire someone to come in and give office personnel a massage. It's pretty common in big cities. I remember in New York, seeing people carrying fold up massage tables down the street to their next appointment.

"And nothing kinky involved?" She asked suspiciously.

"Not at all." Kenji replied. "This hospital employs a massage therapist. He's a delightful young man. He's probably visited your friend already this morning."

"See Seira," Corey said putting his hands behind his head. "You should find this guy and talk to him. See what he went through for schooling, and how he likes his job. You'll be done with high school in two years. Now's the time to start thinking about what you want to do with your life."

"I'm not too worried." She said grinning at him. "I'm in love with a college boy, he'll take care of me."

Corey sat up, and with a serious expression said. "Seira, don't just rely on me. Our future isn't a sure thing. I love you, and I want to be with you, but I may not always be there. A lot of things could happen between now and when you graduate. Live life for yourself, and if things work out, then we'll plan our happily ever after. I'm not trying to be mean, I just want you to be able to take care of yourself if something happens to me."

Seira had stopped her massage and was looking at Corey with a shocked expression. "Corey, I don't know what to say. That's the first time anyone has said something like that to me. I expected to hear that from my father, not from you. You really are concerned for me, aren't you?" Looking down at Kenji, she said. "Do you still think it was a mistake for me to fall in love with him?" Then she moved quickly to him, and sitting next to him, hugged him tightly. "I promise, I'll give it everything I've got, to being a successful, independent woman by the time you finish college."

"You've got a good role model in Ms. Himuro." Corey said putting his arm around her. "Go talk to her about what she thinks you should do. That woman can handle just about anything."

-

"Don't try to talk your way out of this one Ms. Himuro." Mrs. Ayanakoji spat. "This disgraceful incident is directly linked to the baseball team. If those girls hadn't been walking the streets at that time of night, none of this would have happened."

"Mrs. Ayanakoji." She replied in a controlled voice. "May I remind you that one of those girls was my daughter? They weren't doing anything wrong. They were simply returning from a dinner party, just as you and all of us have done at one point in our lives, when they were attacked without provocation."

"That's correct." Mr. Mita said angrily. "I later learned that someone offered to pay those individuals five hundred thousand to attack the American girl. That's why Mr. Kusunoki isn't here. He's being questioned by the police."

"Correction, Mita. I was being questioned by the police." Mr. Kusunoki said entering the room and taking a seat next to Mrs. Ayanakoji. "I won't forget who gave them my name either."

"Don't threaten me, Kusunoki." Mita said coldly. "The way you treated that girl yesterday, made you the prime suspect in my eyes."

"It's like I told the police." He said glaring. "I wouldn't do something so blatantly illegal. I have too much to lose if it was discovered. I agreed to let the girl come here, why would I want to hurt her?"

"I can answer that." Ms. Himuro said looking at Kusunoki with distaste. "If Amy was unable to play, she'd lose her scholarship. Congratulations, you've succeeded with your dirty little scheme. Not only did you put an innocent girl in the hospital with a broken back, but Amy Watson suffered a serious injury to her leg as well. You've dealt the baseball team a serious blow. I hope you're satisfied."

"I didn't do this!" Kusunoki exclaimed, his face going red. "You have no proof I did any of this. You're all just hunting, looking for a scapegoat. Well, look somewhere else, because I'm not the one."

"A fairly large sum of money was involved." Mita said looking around the room. "Whoever it is, he has to be well off. Can anyone think of someone else who could have done this?"

The Parent's Association looked at each other with blank expressions. No one could come up with a name. Ms. Himuro sighed, "Who knows about Amy coming here outside of this room?"

A knock on the door interrupted them. Mr. Yamagida entered, and walking over to Ms. Himuro bent over and whispered into her ear. She rose and addressed the group. "Please excuse me for a moment, I have a call from the police."

"Certainly Ms. Himuro." Mr. Mita said standing. "We'll continue discussing this while you're gone."

She quickly made her way to her office, and picking up the phone, said. "This is Keiko Himuro, how may I help you?"

"Ms. Himuro. I'm Detective Kimura of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. I'm calling to inform you of an incident at your house."

She felt ill as she found her chair. "What happened? Has something happened to my daughter?" She said in a panicked voice.

"Ms. Himuro, please calm down. Everyone here is fine. Somehow the men who attacked your daughter last night found out who she is. You're a fairly well known individual, so I'm not surprised they found your address. Anyhow, they left a message for your daughter warning her she would be hurt if she testified against them. We want to put her in a safe house, but she's refusing to leave."

A smile touched her lips as she said. "That sounds like Izumi. That being the case, how can I help? I doubt she'd leave if I told her to, she's very independent."

"I've noticed that." Kimura said chuckling. "I was wondering if it would be acceptable to place an officer within your home. He would accompany your daughter to school, and stay with her during the day. A female officer would be assigned for the overnight shift. I don't mean to alarm you, but until these miscreants are arrested, I believe Izumi is in danger."

"This has been such a trying ordeal. I wish it were all over." She said leaning back in her chair. "Erring on the side of caution is always a wise decision Detective. Please make the arrangements."

-

Toru was dreaming he ran the Tokyo underworld when his cell phone rang, waking him up. Grumbling, he snatched it up, and flipped it open roughly. "Yeah, what do you want? This better be damn important."

"Oh it's important alright, you bastard." The voice on the other line said. "I'm making things right."

Toru sat up, instantly awake. "Well, well, if it isn't our mysterious benefactor. I thought I told you to lose this number."

"Like it matters what a punk like you told me. I regret ever meeting your sorry ass. I hope you look good in a jumpsuit, because I'm going to the police. I was wrong to hire you, and I ended up hurting the one I was trying to help. Enjoy your last days of freedom punk."

"You're a dead man if you do this. You know that old man?" Toru yelled into the phone.

"We all die eventually. See you in prison, punk."

Toru looked at the phone in disbelief. Intimidating a high school girl into silence wouldn't be a problem, but this guy wasn't going to cower. "I am so screwed." He said snapping the phone shut.

-

Amy hobbled out of the room, followed by her mother. She had a rigid brace around her knee, supporting the area.

"I really think you should be using crutches dear." Kimiko said looking concerned.

"The doctor said as long as I wear the brace I didn't need them. I'm fine mom." She replied with a reassuring smile. Corey, Seira and Kenji stood as they approached. Amy grinned and said, "I told you I'd be walking."

"How bad was it?" Corey asked rubbing his shoulder. "That brace is what they use for torn ligaments."

"It's not that bad. I bruised my patellar tendon, and the doctor wants to immobilize the area until it heals some. He says he's seen students from the college kickboxing club with a similar injury. Two weeks, and I can lose the brace and start therapy."

"Patellar tendon?" Seira asked.

"It holds your kneecap in place." Corey said simply. "It runs from the quadriceps muscles in your thigh over the kneecap and attaches to the tibia in the lower leg. It's the group of muscles that straightens the leg. No wonder she couldn't put any weight on it."

"He said I had made it worse running on it like I did. If I'd known, I would have stayed with Yuki."

"Well, since we've successfully gotten Amy fixed up, how about we go see your friend?" Kenji suggested.

They moved as a group from the waiting area. They had crossed the main lobby, and were approaching the elevators, when they heard a young voice call out, "Big brother Corey! Big sister Seira! It's you!" They turned, and before she knew it, Seira had four-year-old Kimiko wrapped around her legs.

"Kimiko!" She said, struggling to stay on her feet. "Not so tight, I'm going to fall down!"

Corey quickly reached out to steady her, as the little girl let go and stepped back, scared by Seira's shout. Seeing the tears in the little girl's eyes, she quickly knelt down and said. ""I'm sorry Kimiko, I didn't mean to yell like that, but you surprised me. It's all right. I'm not mad. Come here." Holding out her arms, she wrapped the girl in a gentle hug.

"Excuse me, why are you holding my daughter like that?" They looked up to see a well-dressed man watching with a menacing expression. "She bolts away from me, and I find her hugging strangers? Let her go right now!"

"But Daddy," Kimiko said looking up at him innocently. "This is big sister Seira, she gave me a piggyback ride yesterday." Then running over to Corey, she hugged his leg and said, "And this is big brother Corey. He's the one who carried mama to the police when she got sick. She would've got wet from the rain if he hadn't"

"You were the one who helped my wife yesterday?" He bowed deeply saying. "You have my eternal gratitude. If you hadn't been there, I would have lost my daughter, and probably my wife. The baby had the cord around her neck, and hadn't fully turned yet. My wife delivered by cesarean birth last night. I am in your debt"

"I'm just glad I was there to help. She was very grateful as well." Corey said not sure what to say. "She was concerned Kimiko was going to see her sister born in the park. I'm happy for you. You must love your family dearly."

"They're my life." He said squatting down to pick up Kimiko. "We were going up to see the baby, would you like to join us?"

"That would be nice." Corey said nodding. "Oh! Before we go, I should introduce everyone. This is my grandfather Dr. Kenji Suzuki, My mother, Kimiko." He said winking at the little girl. "My sister Amy, and my…" He paused as he looked at Seira with a smile, "girlfriend Seira. I'm Corey Watson. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet all of you as well." He said bowing slightly at everyone in turn. "My name is Shinosuke Fujishima, and this is my daughter Kimiko."

Hearing the name, Kenji started, and became uneasy. Noticing his reaction, the man smiled and said with a chuckle, "I see you've heard of me. Don't worry; I'm harmless outside of work. Please, relax and celebrate my daughter's birth with me."

"Of course." Kenji said with a forced smile. "I've counseled some of your former 'customers' after you'd done business with them. They didn't paint a very rosy picture of you I'm afraid."

"They came to me Doctor." He replied shrugging. "They agreed to the terms before they signed. It's not my fault they reneged on the deal."

"Hey." Corey said stepping up, "Enough talking shop, let's go see the baby. That's why you're here: right Mr. Fujishima?"

"You're right Corey" He said nodding. "I've taken the day off to be with my family, so let's go be with them."

-

Ryo opened the door to her home, and was surprised to see the Captain sitting at the counter, talking to her mom. "It's all set up Shino. I've lined up deliveries for the next six months. Hopefully, you won't even notice the change."

"What change Captain?" Ryo said closing the door.

"Hello dear," Shino said as her daughter took a stool. "The Captain is going away for awhile, and has lined up other vendors to supply our fish. Isn't that nice of him."

"Where are you going Captain? How long are you going to be gone? The Wildcats won't have a prayer without you catching for them." Ryo said concerned.

"I'm not sure how long I'll be gone… Ryo," He stood up and faced her. "There's something you need to know." He got down on his knees, and humbling himself before her, said. "I want you to know how utterly miserable I've felt since I heard about your friend Yuki. I know I can't take back what I've done, but I hope someday you can forgive me."

"Forgive you?" Ryo asked confused. "What do I need to forgive you for?"

His voice cracking from remorse, he said. "I was the one who hired those thugs that attacked your friends."

-

A/N: Be honest, did I surprise anyone with this? I'm curious because I suck at building suspense…I know this story is dragging along, but it takes place in only a week's time. I still have a day and a half before Amy and Corey are supposed to go home. Please be patient. The bad guys are about to get their dues, and better days are ahead for Yuki. As before, if anyone has a comment or critique, please feel free to post it. I'm thinking of doing a sequel if I hear enough good things. Let me know what you think. I can hear the crack of the bat now!