Important Note: This is a dark fanfiction. You have been warned! There may be (hints of) pairings in later chapters, but I think that's about it. This is going to be mostly in character and cannon otherwise. Anyway, I do not own any characters except for the butler and the manager(so far).

This chapter contains abuse.

Finals suck and I may be a bit slow for one or two weeks. Sorry!

Scenes where Kuroko is not present, or something of the like, will be written in third person. His mother's flashback is a rare exception. Sorry for any confusion!

Enjoy! Comments, criticism, and the like are all welcomed! Thank you to all of those that favorited, followed and reviewed, it means the world to me!

Chapter Seven - Melting Glass

Kuroko's mother simply crossed her arms, glaring at the small group of students in front of her. "Well?"

After a few glances between themselves, it seemed that, by default, Hyuuga would have to speak. He was the captain after all, although he had been rather quiet throughout most of what had occured..

"I apologize for causing Kuroko's flustered state, however.." He didn't know what it was about this lady, but he found his words flowing, his fears surfacing. "We were just worried for him, about his family life!"

Kagami tittered behind him as the elder woman's eyes widened. However, thankfully, Kiyoshi spoke up before anyone else had the chance. "Excuse me for interrupting miss, but as Kuroko has called me his older brother.. I have a responsibility to ask, are you and Kuroko safe?"

The plain, brown-haired little woman stared up at the giant of a center in shock as she sputtered out a response. "O-of course! Why wouldn't he be? I-I make sure he's safe..!"

I make sure that hecan't see or touch him..

The undercurrent in her voice was defensive and tense, but it was not unexpected. At least, not to Kagami. "I'm not sure if I'm understanding all of this, but you left Kuroko's dad and you live in that small apartment by yourselves, right? Why don't you have more money?"

"Bakagami!" It was a unanimous cry from the present Seirin members at that, mostly out of embarrassment at his bluntness.

Riko hit him in the back of the head as Kuroko's mother paled. It was unnerving, the amount they seemed to know. She could feel her hackles rise as she grew more and more defensive. "What do you want? Why are you so focused my son?"

It was finally Riko that took control, as the boys seemed to be messing up left and right. "We don't want anything from you, Kuroko-san. We just.. We want the truth. Who is Tetsuya Kuroko?"

Wasn't that a loaded question in itself? However, as the prematurely aged woman glanced from one face to the next, she nothing malicious. They all were honestly worried for their teammate, their friend..

"I.. It's a long story." She said, her voice settling into a rather unsettling and familiar monotone as she walked over to the bench and sat on it. Suddenly, she could feel her worries and tensions weighing her down..

"Kuroko-san?" She glanced up to see four expectant faces staring at her, identifying that it was the girl that had spoken again. "We have time."

For Kuroko? We'll always have time.

Flashbacks: Set From Kuroko's Mother's POV

"I had warned you." He paced quickly, agitation lacing his voice as he turned to glare at my defeated form. "I warned you to behave yourself tonight."

I didn't try and protest as his footsteps grew closer, I knew that there was no point. If I struggled there was a strong chance he would try and harm my little Tetsuya and I couldn't allow that..

"I'm sorry." I managed to whisper as his hands closed around my throat, stupidly feeling grateful it was me and not Tetsuya.

"Sorry won't bring back the clients you insulted." He shouted into my ear, fingers tightening as his anger was released. "If I didn't hae a problem with how they treated you, why did you?"

I felt my consciousness slipping as I hung from his lean fingers. "I won't mess up again.."

Tetsuya giggled and pulled at the thin silver chain hanging around my neck. Truly a stark contrast to my fake, bleak smile and the graying woman that sat directly of me. It was a rare day when Tetsuya's grandmother visited me..

"The business is failing." My mother-in-law whispered, her laced fingers shaking as she opened her clear and tired blue eyes. "He's running it into the ground, along with this family."

"Okaa-san, it'll be..-" I was cut off by her raising her hand, and I paled as she stood. The look on her face made it clear, she had made up her mind, for better or worse..

"Keep the heir to my husband's and my business with you, girl. Keep him safe." I gaped as she pointed to the babbling child in my hands and placed an intricately designed box on the table. "That is something he'll need to save this hellhole.."

"Okaa-san.. I-" I couldn't believe what was happening, I honestly couldn't..

But, she just smiled softly and turned away, leaving us far behind. "Keep fighting."

It was scary, to wake up alone in a hospital. Possibly even scarier than everything I had been through before..

"Has anyone seen my baby?" I was hysterical, to put it lightly. Running through the hospital after being beaten nearly to death, with several broken bones and only one thing on my mind. "T-Tetsuya? TETSUYA!?"

Keep fighting.

"Ma'am, please calm down, ma'm!" It took a while, probably close to half an hour, for them to talk some sense into me. However, that was not the problem, the problem was my missing baby.

"Where is he? Doctor, please, I need to know, where is my baby?" I was barely holding in my hysteria, but the look on his face scared me far more than I cared to say.

"We've been unable to find your husband, mother-in-law, or child.." I distinctly remember the doctor's face paling as he glanced at my vitals and rushed through what he was saying, not that it helped. "They've been missing since you fell out that window.."

I can't remember much more from that day.

"Can I see him?" I whispered, sniffing as I stared at the incubator. It scared me, that he was already over a year old and being forced to stay in that thing..

My poor little baby was suffering because I had been too weak to protect him. I was a terrible mother and I knew it, I just had no excuse..

"In a week, however, you should do something about your husband." The doctor said stiffly, motioning to the door that still had the cracked glass from where he had hit it. From where he had tried to get in..

Keep fighting.

"I need a lawyer.." I whispered dully, a chuckle escaping my parched lips.

"Kuroko-san, unless your wife permits it you are not allowed within five hundred yards of Tetsuya." The judge's voice echoed firmly, a scowl on his aged face. "I would recommend you never allow that, however.."

I knew I was crying, I knew I was also smiling stupidly. However, the case had gone on for over two months and it had looked rocky, I was just glad I got to keep my baby..

"On another note, until the matter of the property is settled, I have no choice but to allow Kuroko-san to run the company.." It was not as important to me, however it still stung. "I have been unable to locate the will of Kuroko-sama, and as she is in a coma, I cannot rule in the young Tetsuya's favor just on your word alone..."

It was a big mistake, to leave Tetsuya's obaa-san's company in his grasp, but..

"I guess I have no choice.." Besides, I was happy with my child, I hadn't cared for the money to begin with. I could still hear her, even if I had lost the damned box, and I would listen to her last words.

Keep fighting.