This chapter is officially dedicated to DarkAngelDreams13 for being the first reviewer. Things should get a little interestingggg. =]
Ed saw it just after Kairi did. At the top of the waterfall, Kayle and Travis were locked in a violent tangle of flying fists, and Audrey was on the ground next to them, sitting up halfway, screaming bloody murder. Serina and Carson were trying to drag Suki out of the water, because she was trying to climb up the waterfall, screeching something that sounded like, "I told you! He's evil! I told all of you!"
"Kairi!" She either didn't hear Ed yell for her, or she did and ignored him (which was a lot more likely). She must've worked well under pressure, because even though she was barefoot, she climbed the steep rock path in seconds and was at the top next to Audrey.
"Travis!" Audrey stood up next to her, and they both tried to pull the writhing, angry teenagers off of each other. "What the hell. Travis?! Knock it off!"
"I'll kill you!" Kayle was screaming. "I'll kill you!"
"Let it go, Kayle!" Audrey was straining to get Kayle away from Travis while Kayle clung to Travis, punching him at the same time.
"God damn it, Travis, what's your damage?!" Kairi pushed hard at Travis, but she was a lot smaller than him, and he kept glancing at her like an annoying flee he was just about to squish. Has anyone ever given you that look? It makes me crazy!!!
"Get off of me!" He turned around just long enough to shove her over the edge, then turned back to his fight with Kayle. She hit the water with a hollow splash. Audrey jumped off immediately afterward, and Carson started to swim out toward where Kairi had landed. Ed grunted with frustration; he and Al couldn't do anything. If they went up to the top, there was the possibility they'd land in the water. If they went to help Kairi Al's blood seal would wash away and Ed's arm and leg would just make him sink. Travis and Kayle were at the top, fighting more freely now that the girls were at the foot of the fall. Serina pushed Suki toward Al, mumbling something about not letting her back in the water, then ran to the top and shoved both boys off the fall and into the water. Ed saw Audrey and Carson drag Kairi out of the water. She was coughing and gasping, but she seemed okay. Carson looked grim; his face was so friendly it was practically incapable of showing any anger.
"Take your girlfriend," he dropped her bridal style into Ed's arms. She was panting, and she wiped her bangs out of her face, stared up at Ed for a second, then wrapped her arms around his neck. He blushed.
"Damn it, Kayle, knock it off!" Audrey was back in the water with Carson and Serina, attempting to pull the struggling boys off of each other. Suki was sitting on Al's shoulder, watching them squirm and scream. Her arms tightened around his neck. Her hair smelled clean- one of the cleanest smells there was- and he'd smelled it before, but he couldn't place it. Her breathing returned to normal just as the group in the water split in half; they'd finally managed to get Kale and Travis off of each other.
"Let it go, Kayle!" Audrey yelled. "We're going back. Right. Now." Kayle didn't argue, but he was obviously angry. Audrey was pretty steamed, and she wouldn't even look at Travis. Everyone started to walk back, except for Travis, who slunk out of the water, up the trail, and sat at the top of the waterfall, watching them go. Suki rode on Al's shoulder the whole way back, and Ed carried Kairi, simple because he wouldn't let her down. They were silent.
When they reached the house, Ed took Kairi upstairs and set her down on the floor, asking, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She sat on the floor to avoid getting the bed wet. He sat down next to her.
"We'll be out of here soon. Just don't stray too far from anyone, okay?"
"As if. Thanks for carrying me. I could've walked."
"I wanted to," he replied, squeezing her hand.
She gave a half smile. "That's so sweet." She laughed. "I gotta get changed. Go downstairs. I'll be right down." He left obediantly, walked down the stairs, and found Serina, Suki, Audrey, Al, Kayle, and Carson gathered at the table. Carefully avoiding Charlie, Ed sat down at an empty chair next to Audrey.
"Why were you fighting?" Serina asked, running her hands through her red and black hair, breaking the long, tense silence.
"Because he pushed me," Audrey put her forehead in her hands. "And Kayle knew that he'd been hitting Kairi."
"He was hitting Kairi?" Carson looked up, shock apparent on his face. "And no one told me?"
Audrey was quiet for a few moment before replying. "Kairi didn't want anyone to know. That's why she left. But Kayle found out and I didn't know he knew, and Travis shoved me down on top of the waterfall, so Kayle jumped on him, and..." She let her voice trail off.
"If Travis is so damn danger ous, why don't you kick him out?" Ed asked. His temper was rising. Travis had pushed Audrey, he'd hurt Kairi, and even pushed Kairi off the top of a waterfall!
"Because until about five seconds ago, I didn't know how crazy he is," Carson glanced at Audrey and Kayle, but not accusingly.
"I told you!" Suki announced. "I told you all! You didn't believe me! I told you! He's evil!"
"We know, Suki," Serina patted her arm. "You were right. We're sorry for not believing you."
That was when there was a short, cut-off scream from upstairs, and thirty-two thuds.
Minutes before that shocking installment...
After fixing herself up, Kairi turned around, and just as soon as her hand touched the doorknob, she heard a small noise behind her. Whipping around, she saw Travis, who had just climbed in the window. He's angry. With a sharp intake of breath, she tore from the room. He was on top of her before she could run toward the kitchen. With his strong arms, he gripped her by the arm, lifted her high in the air, and sent her sailing down the stairs.
Ed was at her side seconds after she reached the bottom of the stairs, asking, "Are you okay? Where does it hurt?"
"I can't move my arm," she replied, and Ed picked her up bridal style so he could carry her up the stairs. Audrey followed them into the room and closed the door.
"What happened?" Audrey asked.
"Travis threw me down the freaking stairs," she replied as Ed set her down on the bed. She looked pissed. Audrey stuck her head out the door and yelled something about them looking for Travis, and everyone, including Al, fanned out to search the house.
"Her arms out of socket," Ed announced, feeling her shoulder.
Audrey helped Kairi sit up. "Can ypu pop it back into place?"
"Yes."
"To hell you will!" Kairi tried to squirm away, but her right arm wouldn't work and Audrey had her left, so it was hard.
"Kairi, look at me," Audrey sat on the bed net to her and held her left hand. "Ed's not going to hurt you. He'd never-"
Ed chose that second to snap her arm up.
"Ow!" She punched him in the cheek, but she's more or less a weakling, so it didn't harm him. "That freaking hurt!"
"You're fine now," Audrey replied, inspecting her arms and legs. "Just a few bruises. You're gonna be okay." Kairi turned to Ed, stood up, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Audrey laughed when he blushed, his arms around her waist.
"If you leave now, you'll get back before dark," Audrey whispered, and she left the room.
"Do you want to leave, Kairi?" Ed mumbled in her ear. She nodded, and didn't move.
With Al...
When everyone searched the house for Travis, they discovered that Kayle and Travis's room had been trashed. Nothing of Kayle's was missing, but Travis's shoes were gone. Al went to Kairi's room just as Ed and Kairi exited it.
"We're leaving," Ed announced. Kairi sauntered off to say good-bye to her friend, and they started the long, silent walk back to Dublith.
The whole way back, thoughts ran through Kairi's head. The white dress from her mother's wedding day. A panic attack brought on by starvation, when Travis had pinned her down and Audrey had shoved food down her throat. The man with the wild dark hair that accidentally killed Sal and the horrified look on his face when he realized what he'd done. Ed's golden eyes. Her mother's brown ones. Her mother had been small, like her, and her hair had been the same color. Mommy's smile.
"Mommy?"
"Kairi?"
"The stars are so pretty, Mommy. Do you think Daddy sees the stars?"
Mommy was on the plaid blanket beside her. "Of course Daddy does."
"What about the Big Dipper. Do you think he can find it, just like you?"
"Daddy can do that, too."
"Do you think Daddy loves James? Even though he never got borned alive?"
"Daddy does. The same way he loves you. Once every day, and twice on Sunday."
"Hey! But you love me once every day and twice on Sunday!"
"Daddy can, too."
"Look, Mommy, the star is falling!"
She turns just in time to see the shooting star tumble from the sky.
"Make a wish, Kairi."
The little hazel eyes close. "I wish Daddy will be home for my birthday this time."
"I'm sure he will."
"Say it again, Mommy," she smiles. touching her feet with her hands. "Again!"
"Okay," Mommy kissed her forehead. "I love you every day, and twice on Sunday."
"Why are you smiling?" Ed asked her.
"Because my Mommy loves me every day, and twice on Sundays."
Ed raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
Later...
Darkness was gathering when they knocked on Teacher's door. Wrath opened it, and immediately jumped on Kairi. "Ohhh. Wrath, I'm too tired."
"Okay, let's go to bed," he replied. He took her hand and dragged her down the hallway. "You wouldn't believe how boring it was. And I thought you were leaving for a week? It's only been like..."
Ed turned to Al. "I'm ready for bed, too, actually. If we get there in a hurry we might avoid..."
"Avoid what?" Teacher materialized.
"Uh-" Ed grinned nervously. "Waking you up if you were sleeping."
"Really? Back so soon?"
"This creep named Travis picked Kairi up and threw her down the stairs, so we left."
"Hmmm," Teacher remarked. "Now I'm sort of glad you boys were there."
"We couldn't do much, though. I'm just glad she's alright. And she remembered a lot," Al said.
"Go to bed now," Teacher replied. "You can tell me more in the morning.
So they ran gratefully to their room.
The next morning...
"Ed?"
At the sound of her voice, Ed's eyes snapped open and he rolled over. She was on her knees next to his bed. "Kairi? It's like six o'clock in the morning!"
"You're leaving to look for the philosopher's stone, right? So-"
"How'd you know that?"
"Wrath told me," she replied. "Anywho, you're leaving, right? Well, I was wondering if you'd take me home on the way there. Like, walk with me. Cuz I don't want to go by myself because it's really far away, and-"
"Didn't we just bring you back from there?" He replied, sitting up in bed. She got off herknees and sat on the bed beside him.
"No. I want to go home." It took him a moment to understand what she meant. She wanted to go to the house where her parents had died.
Does this count as a cliffie? I can't tell... but thanks to the reviewers!! Yay!! Same as always- first reviewer gets a dedication! More reviews, faster the update! And I also added some more pictures to the photobucket for the story. Link is in my profile. Go check them out. =] I animated the girls!! Thanks for reviewing!!
